Title

English and Colonial engravers [ wood-engraving produced in London could have been executed in Australia.]

Author

Artist.

Source

Argus (Melbourne).

Details

12 January 1870, page 6, column 6.

Publication date

12 January 1870

Type

News

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

ENGLISH AND COLONIAL ENGRAVERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.
Sir,- In your issue of to-day a paragraph appears stating that a "mammoth engraving representing the town of Ballarat, "drawn by M.Guerard, "has been executed in London. "Now, Sir, at the present time in Melbourne there are numbers of engravers barely able to make enough to procure the necessaries of life, men in every way equal-as far as news-paper illustrations are concerned - to their home brethren, and who could, within six months or less, have turned out an engraving double the size of tho one in question, so that your remark "that it is doubtful whether a sufficient number of wood engravers could have been found to complete it in the time allotted for its production," goes for naught.

Of course, I shall be met with the objection that the work could not have been done so well in tho colony, and for proof be referred to the illustrations appearing from time to time in tho Melbourne illustrated papers. I at once admit that, with a few exceptions, they are not equal to the English productions; and why? - because engravers are paid by the quantity, and not by the quality of the work turned out; and no matter how much labour and time were spent upon a block, the workman would get no more than his miserable 10s. per square inch for it. The quality of an engraving is merely a question of money. Now, Sir, since tho Illustrated Post was amalgamated with the Illustrated News, artists and engravers have had but a bad time of it, "forwhat is one among so many;" and I do think that if newspaper proprietors want any work done, they should, at all events, let colonial men have a chance. As to the price, I do not think, when the carriage comes to be paid, the cost will be any cheaper than if the block had been engraved here. Now that the fashion has once been started of sending home for engravers' work, the next thing will be for the blocks to be drawn at home as well, and we shall have some speculator importing woodcuts all ready for printing. What matter how many artists and engravers are thrown out of work so long as some private individual can make a few pounds? Besides, it is a sure way to encourage colonial art, about which there has been so much affected concern.-Your obedient servant.
ARTIST. Jan. 8.

[Argus (Melbourne), 12 January 1870, p.6, col.6.]

[the price for payment per square inch .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.

Sir, - In my letter of the 8th to you, a printer's error has made me say that wood engravers are paid at the rate of 10s. per square inch ; it should have been 2s.-Yours, &c.,
ARTIST
Jan.12]