Peasant and Pigs

In the late 18th century John Raphael Smith persuaded his drinking companion George Morland to give himcontrol over the reproduction of his pastoral paintings. Smith created a profitable market for these prints and even paid James Ward, a pupil of his and brother-in-law to Morland, to paint copies of Morland’s pictures to sell alongside the prints in the gallery. Most of Morland’s pastorals feature rustic country settings. This may reflect his frequent excursions to rural England to escape creditors, where he amused himself by mixing with the peasants and sketching scenes like the one depicted in this Smith mezzotint.