Frontispiece Portrait of John Keats from 'The Letters of John Keats' (Complete Revised Edition)
Print, specifically a photogravure or intaglio print on paper, bound as a frontispiece in a book. • Engraved by Walker & Boutall (signature visible at bottom right of plate) after Joseph Severn.
Style & Movement
Victorian Romanticism / Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic in book design.
Medium & Technique
Photogravure or fine-line engravure after an original painting, tipped into the paper with a characteristic plate mark.
Creation Period
1895 (as stated on the title page)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 8vo (Octavo) book format, portrait orientation. The plate itself is roughly 4 x 6 inches within the page.
Subject Description
A posthumous portrait of the Romantic poet John Keats, depicted sitting in a chair reading, evocative of his contemplative and tragic persona. The setting is Wentworth Place.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Fair; visible foxing (brown spots), age-toning of the paper, and slight creasing near the gutters.
Estimated Market Value
$150 - $300 USD (for this specific 1895 H. Buxton Forman edition in this condition).
Auction Estimate
$100 - $250 USD
Provenance History
Visible dry stamp 'Lincoln City Library' indicates it was once part of an institutional library collection; likely sold or deaccessioned.
Art Historical Significance
This edition is significant as a definitive late-19th-century collection of Keats' letters edited by the renowned scholar H. Buxton Forman. The portrait is often considered one of the more poignant renderings of the poet.
Notable Features
Features a unique 'Lincoln City Library' embossed blind stamp on the title page and the specific Walker & Boutall engraver's mark.
Condition Issues
Acidic migration (yellowing), foxing (biological/chemical paper degradation), minor staining, and typical wear to the binding edges.
Conservation Recommendations
Store in a cool, dry, dark environment; use acid-free tissue spacers between the plate and the title page to prevent further offsetting; avoid handle with bare hands.