The Death of Nelson: A silk stevengraph Thomas Stevens c1883-98

STEVENS, Thomas (1828-1888). The Death of Nelson. Coventry: Thomas Stevens, c.1883-1898.
 
Original silk-woven Stevengraph mounted on grey card, the woven image approximately 175 x 60 mm, overall mount 270 x 160 mm. Printed "WOVEN IN SILK" beneath the image with the title "The Death of Nelson". Original printed Thomas Stevens catalogue label to the reverse, listing this and other available subjects. The silk itself remains bright and well preserved. The mount with rubbing and wear to the edges and corners, some general handling marks, and a short tear to the lower left edge. Printed label to reverse creased and toned. Good to Very Good overall.
 
An attractive Victorian Stevengraph depicting the death of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, after Daniel Maclise's celebrated composition. Maclise's monumental treatment of the subject was created for the Palace of Westminster and became one of the best-known nineteenth-century images of Nelson's death.
 
Thomas Stevens of Coventry pioneered the production of these finely woven silk pictures using adapted Jacquard looms. Known as "Stevengraphs", they depicted historical events, portraits, sporting scenes and other popular subjects, and were produced in considerable variety during the later nineteenth century. The Death of Nelson is among the firm's more collectible compositions. An example is held by the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, which dates the design to c.1883-1898.