Dr. Cartwright, Inventor of the Power Loom, Engraving by J. Thomson, circa 1870

An original steel engraved portrait of Dr. Edmund Cartwright, the clergyman and inventor of the power loom, published by William Mackenzie. The sitter is shown half length, turned slightly to the left and looking out at the viewer, his gray hair falling loosely to his collar. He wears a dark coat and waistcoat with a white cravat and sits in a carved and upholstered armchair against a plain dark ground. The plate is lettered beneath the image "Engraved by J. Thomson, from a Picture in the possession of Miss Cartwright", with the name "Dr. Cartwright." in outline capitals below and the imprint "William Mackenzie, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London & New York." at the foot of the sheet. James Thomson was a London engraver who specialized in portraits for books and periodicals. Edmund Cartwright (1743 to 1823) was a Leicestershire clergyman and poet who turned to mechanics in middle age. In 1785 he patented the first power loom, the machine that would in time transform the weaving of cloth, and he went on to patent a wool combing machine and other inventions. Parliament granted him 10,000 pounds in 1809 in recognition of the value of the loom to the nation. William Mackenzie of Glasgow was one of the most active Victorian subscription publishers, issuing illustrated histories, dictionaries and biographical works in parts, each illustrated with steel engraved portraits such as this. The New York line in the imprint places the printing in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. The engraving is finely worked, with close cross hatching in the coat and background and delicate stipple in the face. This portrait suits a collection of the Industrial Revolution, the textile trade or the history of invention, and a narrow dark molding with a wide mat shows it to advantage. Condition: Good condition for its age. A few small spots to the margins; small nick to the upper edge and a faint crease at the lower left corner, all clear of the image. Please review the images for further condition details. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. Size: H 28 cm x W 18 cm x D 0.02 cm Stock number: BG-14343-14.…