left out. It is possible that much autobiographical information was excluded, as well 

 as a picture of woodcutters and woodcutting of the time. The book concludes with 

 the statement that Jackson intended to print in October of that year (1752) a 

 paper hanging in two sheets after an original painting "by F. Sitnonnetta of 

 Tar ma" " representing the battle fought near that city in 1738. 



This print was to be in full color, 3 feet 6 inches long by 2 feet high, and was 

 to serve as a specimen for a series of four of the same size, the others being "His- 

 tory, Pictures and Landscapes." They were to be done by subscription: 



No Money will be required of the Subscribers till the Prints are finished, and only 

 at the Delivery. It is to be hoped the Curious and the Public will encourage this 

 Undertaking, by a Man who has spent the greatest Part of his Life in searching after 

 and improving an Art, believed by all to be lost, and has restored it to the Condition 

 we now see it in his Works. 



The only known copy of this battle picture, made from about seven blocks, 

 is in the Print Room of the British Museum. It is a magnificent piece. Probably 

 nothing with this breadth of handling had ever been done in woodcut before. The 

 color is grave and beautifully harmonized, aldiough the paper has deteriorated 

 and the colors have darkened somewhat. The blocks were cut with ardor, almost 

 fury; everything is brought to life with masterly assurance. Martin Hardie, who 

 made the only previous comment on this print, which he could only surmise was 

 Jackson's, says: ^' "Jackson's supreme achievement is a large battle scene, with 

 wonderful masses of rich colour superbly blended, reminiscent of Velasquez in 

 breadth, in dignity, and in glory of tone." 



There were competitors in London, among them Matthias Darley, who pro- 

 duced papers in the Chinese style; Thomas Bromwich, who was patronized by 

 Walpole; and Robert Dunbar, Jr., of Aldermanbury, who in addition sold Jack- 

 son's papers. They lacked both Jackson's gifts and his unreasonable standards but 

 they produced more generally acceptable wallpaper with greater facility. These 

 competitors did not work in oil colors, like Jackson. Transparent tints were too 

 difficult to control, especially when applied with inking balls (composition rollers 



"There is little doubt that Jackson meant Francesco Simonini (1686-1753), a painter of battle 

 subjects who was born in Parma and lived in Venice in the 1740's. 

 ^' Hardie, 1906, p. 23. 



42 



