Skip to Content
Today Open today 11–5

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Old Woman Leaning on a Cane, from Life-Sized Heads

A work made of mezzotint in black on buff laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of mezzotint in black on buff laid paper.

Date:

1760

Artist:

Thomas Frye
Irish, 1710-1762

About this artwork

Frye’s most important work in the graphic media was the mezzotint series of twelve life-sized heads. These monumental portraits are distinctive in the history of English mezzotints; not only is their life-size scale unusual, but they are also original portraits created specifically for the mezzotint medium. Only a few years after their creation, Frye’s richly atmospheric mezzotints influenced portraits by Joseph Wright of Derby.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Thomas Frye

Title

Old Woman Leaning on a Cane, from Life-Sized Heads

Place

Ireland (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1760

Medium

Mezzotint in black on buff laid paper

Dimensions

Image: 47.4 × 35.2 cm (18 11/16 × 13 7/8 in.); Plate: 50.5 × 35.4 cm (19 15/16 × 13 15/16 in.); Sheet: 52.8 × 37.8 cm (20 13/16 × 14 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. George B. Young

Reference Number

1990.73

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/76025/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms