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