From:Williamson Art Gallery and Museum

Name/TitlePalperro Harbour with Bridge

About this objectEtching depicting Polperro Harbour, with a boat in the foreground and various houses and a bridge making up the composition.

Frank Short was a British printmaker who played a pivotal role in reviving etching and mezzotint techniques in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally trained as a civil engineer, he shifted to art, studying at the Westminster School of Art and the Royal College of Art. His etchings are renowned for their atmospheric depth and technical precision, often capturing landscapes and marine scenes with subtle tonal variations. Short gained acclaim for his mezzotint interpretations of J.M.W. Turner’s “Liber Studiorum,” showcasing his mastery of light and shadow. As head of the engraving school at the Royal College of Art (1891–1924), he mentored many influential artists and helped elevate printmaking as a fine art. He served as President of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers and was knighted in 1911.

MakerShort, Frank (1857-1945)

Maker Roleprintmaker

Date Made1888

Period19th century

Style and IconographyMarine Art

Style and IconographyUrban Landscape

Style and IconographyLandscape

Style and IconographyEtching Revival

Inscription and MarksOn bottom right in pencil: "Frank Short [signature]"

Techniqueetching on paper

Measurementsprint height: 15.5cm
print width: 20cm

mount height: 40.5cm
mount width: 56cm

Subject and Association KeywordsCornwall, England

Subject and Association KeywordsPolperro, Cornwall

Subject and Association Keywordsship

Subject and Association Keywordsharbour

Named CollectionAlbert Taylor Collection

Credit LinePresented by Albert Taylor

Object Typeprint

Object numberBIKGM.9259

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved