🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Help With This Etching

[chadkeath]

Hi and thank you in advance for any help you may have. I have this antique Etching. I am trying to find some information on it. And have come up empty. So am hoping someone on this forum may be able to help.

 

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[Kray Gelder]

Mama told me not to go. Captain Cook?

 

[DizzyDigger]

Interesting etching...not sure if it looks like an artists take on Dante's Inferno, or some kind of Aztec/Myan/Native American slaughter.

Tried to enhance the signature..not sure if it's any better.

 

[Red-Coat]

I don't immediately recognise any allegorical symbolism, but is that a crucifix in the sky above the throng of people? I've marked it in red below, but it's difficult to tell if it's intentional or just a coincidental mark on the paper.

 

[Retired Sarge]

It seems like the people on either side of the artwork have spears.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Seems like the subjects on the far right and left have spears.

 

[chadkeath]

Hi thank you for your input so far. The cross was just a wrinkle in the paper. I’m still trying to figure out the signature. The date looks to be 1908?

 

[unclemac]

search "battle of" or something like that.... is that a date in the corner, that may help. I am thinking, Hawaiian, or Mauri ... something islander.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Chad, you may need to remove it from the frame to get more information about the paper?
It looks to be a copper plate etching, but you need to look for more clues from the paper it's been printed on.
Dave

 

[Red-Coat]

It’s a curious scene and, unless the artist has some degree of fame or we can read the signature, I think it more likely to be attributed if we can figure out what it depicts. It’s difficult to believe it’s just a random depiction of some tribal people having a fight.

My observations (and perhaps they will trigger a thought in someone’s head) would be as follows:

- Whatever is happening is either beside a tree-lined river or lake with hills or low mountains in the background. The trees don’t appear to be palms or conifers. The absence of any clothing would seem to suggest a warm climate.

- Everyone seems to be completely naked. No headgear, footwear, protective clothing, jewellery or other adornments. No tattoos or body paint.

- There’s nothing else really to give a clue to ethnicity or culture, except that some ethnic races of African and Oriental origin can be ruled out. Everyone is male, clean-shaven (possibly a couple of beards in evidence), and with relatively short straight hair in both light and dark colours.

- Most of the participants are unarmed. There are no close-combat weapons such as clubs, or bladed items and no bows. The only weapons in evidence seem to be long javelin-type spears, those carrying them are at the outer edges of the melee, and they seem to be fleeing rather than fighting.

- As a scenario, it doesn’t look like two opposing groups in conflict. It looks more like an attempt to overthrow a ‘leader’ within a group or challenge his authority, the attempt being largely being fended off, aided perhaps by some unseen force (metaphorically). The central figure looks to be that ‘leader’, in a gesture of strong defiance, despite those immediately around him seemingly attempting to seize him. One appears to have grabbed him by the hair from behind. Most of the others seem to be fleeing in fear or have been repulsed, with some having been killed or injured and thrown to the ground.

Ring any bells?

 

[unclemac]

yeah, the trees did throw me bit, you would perhaps expect islander trees to be palms which is why I initially thought Māori. And the etching style is interesting and perhaps identifiable too.

 

[Clay Diggins]

It looks like a ball game scene. The spear holders are pointed and moving away from the center of the scene. It looks more like a giant keep away game than a battle.

Considering the lack of clothing, hair style and the water/foilage my best guess would be a fantasy early 20th C depiction of native game playing. Probably Mississippi culture?

I agree the print is going to have to come out of the frame before you can determine age, manufacture and possibly artist.

 

[GlowingArtist]

Are we sure it isn't a Bacchus scene about nudity/sex?

I saw an etching that was similar, but lost the pg. The work was by

Jacques Gamelin​

 

[Retired Sarge]

Are we sure it isn't a Bacchus scene about nudity/sex?

Do you mean Bacchus as in the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility?

Don't see anything that would lead me to believe that.

 

[chadkeath]

Do you mean Bacchus as in the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility?

Don't see anything that would lead me to believe that.

 

[chadkeath]

Thank you all. I took it out of the frame and has some more writing on back and front. Looks like a date of 1908. Here is some pictures.

 

[unclemac]

it strikes me as being very identifiable, there are folk that do this for a living.

 

[GlowingArtist]

Do you mean Bacchus as in the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility?

Don't see anything that would lead me to believe that.

It exists in Greek as well, but has homosexual overtones.

 

[GlowingArtist]

would it be possible to use a scanner to geta much clearer image? I can see capital "G" and then "R" as begining of the names.

 

[Red-Coat]

I can't make much sense of it... but here's some enhanced crops in case someone else can (click to enlarge):