The Pic-Nic. Artist: Alfred Cooper. Engravers: the Dalziels. 1862. Wood-engraving, 4 5/8 x 7 1/2 inches. London Society, 2 (July–December, 1862) London: [Clowes & Co] 1862): facing p. 352.
An underrated artist, Cooper specialized in images of the bourgeoisie at play, typically in rural settings. His designs often have a timeless quality that recalls the Edenic imagery of pastoral painting by Titian and Giorgione. His illustrations also prefigure the leisurely idylls of the French Impressionists – although the relationship between this most English of artists and his French contemporaries has never been investigated.
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Last modified 4 February 2013