Agnes Etherington Art Centre613.533.2190aeac@queensu.caEvent page: https://agnes.queensu.ca/exhibition/he-first-brought-it-to-perfection-j… engraver John Smith (1652– 1743) was a central figure in the ascent of the mezzotint as a favoured print medium in early modern England. This exhibition will consider Smith’s career within the larger context of English art from the seventeenth century through the first half of the eighteenth century. Not only was Smith a skilled artist and an important print publisher, but many of his mezzotints were after paintings by Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723), the leading portraitist of his day. As a result, Smith’s high-quality mezzotints were significant in securing his own international reputation while simultaneously promoting the English arts both at home and abroad.
