Modern Athenians No. 6

Modern Athenians (No. 6) by Benjamin W. Crombie
C. 1837-1847
Hand-colored etching

This hand-colored etching by Benjamin W. Crombie portrays John Jeffrey and Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe in carefully observed profile portraits that emphasize their distinctive appearances and mannerisms. Jeffrey stands on the left in a slightly leaning stance, raising his hand to adjust his eyeglasses while holding a teal-colored umbrella and walking stick under his arm, dressed in a flared gray-brown top hat and a muted mauve frock coat. Facing him, Sharpe maintains an elegant, upright posture in a vibrant cerulean blue coat with a dark velvet collar, his hands resting gracefully on the handle of a downward-pointing, dark brown umbrella. Their colorful attire, individualized features, and restrained gestures reflect the conventions of nineteenth-century portraiture while subtly highlighting the unique personalities of the two Edinburgh figures.

During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Edinburgh earned the sobriquet "Athens of the North" as one of Europe's foremost centers of the Scottish Enlightenment, celebrated for its philosophers, scientists, physicians, and writers. Benjamin W. Crombie's Modern Athenians series captured the city's distinctive characters at the height of this intellectual and cultural flourishing, portraying not only prominent civic leaders but also the colorful local personalities who animated everyday life. Combining portraiture with gentle satire, the series reflects the Victorian fascination with character studies while preserving a visual record of individuals who might otherwise have been forgotten. Today, these prints are valued not only for their lively humor and skilled hand-coloring but also as important documents of nineteenth-century Edinburgh, illustrating how the city balanced its reputation for scholarship and refinement with an enduring appreciation for wit, individuality, and eccentricity.

Dimensions: H 11” x 16” W

Condition: In very good condition