1856 William Tegg View Salmon Fishing from A. F. Rolfe's Angling Scenes

A Gentleman's Pastime.

This is a 1857 hand-tinted stone lithograph of two English sportsmen salmon fishing, likely in Scotland or Wales. The image was issued by William Tegg after a painting by the angler and landscape artist Alexander F. Rolfe. It is one of Rolfe's most iconic images, included in his 'A. Fl Rolfe's Angling Scenes' series.

A Closer Look

The image depicts Rolfe and his brother, Henry Leonidas Rolfe (1823 - 1881), fishing for Salmon in a vigorous stream, similar to those found in Wales or Scotland. Mountains rise in the background. The fishermen in the foreground, repeated in many of Rolfe's paintings, are believed to be Rolfe himself and his regular fishing partner, brother and brother, Henry. Although it is not clear which is which, and they admittedly look very similar, based on a photo of Henry from Rolfe's photo study, we believe Alexander to be the standing man.

Publication History and Census

This image was committed to lithographic stone and printed in London by William Tegg as part of 'Rolfe's Angling Scenes', a popular series based on Rolfe's sporting paintings. Scarce.

Cartographers

William Tegg (Peter Parley; 1816 - December 23, 1895) was an English writer, bookseller, and publisher. Tegg was born in Cheapside, London, the son of bookseller and auctioneer Thomas Tegg (1776 - 1845). He apprenticed as an engraver and inherited his father's publishing and bookselling concern in 1845. His publications work primarily focused on reprints of children's books and English classics. In addition to being a publisher, he was also a writer of children's books under the pseudonym 'Peter Parley'. Tegg was known to be close friends with both George Cruikshank and Charles Dickens.   Further Details...

Alexander Frederick Rolfe (May 20 1814 - July 6, 1875) was a British photographer and landscape painter best known for his angling scenes. Rolfe was born in Holloway, Middlesex, England, the son of artist William Edmund Rolfe (1781 - 1876) and his first wife, Louisa Nicholson (1792 - 1822). Rolfe owned a portrait photography studio at 4 Haymarket, London. Despite his large photographic output, mostly portrait cards, he is best known for his landscape paintings and sporting scenes. He was an avid angler. His sister Catherine Augusta Herring (1828 - 1911), younger brother Henry Leonidas Rolfe (1823 - 1881), and brother-in-law John Frederick Herring Jr. (1815 - 1907) were also landscape and sport painters.   Further Details...

Condition

Good. A few light dampstains and stabilized margin tears.