Beautiful 19th Century Framed Etching Of Stirling Castle in Scotland by Albany E Howarth

Beautiful 19th Century Framed Etching Of Stirling Castle in Scotland by Albany E Howarth

Signed in pencil by artist bottom right

Mix of etching and hand colouring


Depicts a man leading his horse in the foreground with Stirling castle in the background


The frame measures approx 55.5cm x 44cm


Label version reads

W Carling and Son

Art Dealers

Picture Frame Makers

Whitley Bay



Details about the artist

Albany E Howarth was born in Durham in 1872. His first job was working in the drawing offices of Armstrong Mitchell of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Founded in 1847, Armstrong Mitchell was the largest employer in the area, manufacturing armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and aircraft. However, already aware his own artistic inclinations he left the company after 4 years. In his own words he ‘found it too mechanical’.

Continuing to develop drawing as a profession, he worked for a while illustrating various papers and periodicals in the North of England. A benefit that did emerge from this time was that he was able to teach himself different printing formats and their characteristics, a major advantage when he began the commercial production of his own work.

During the early stage of his career, and at least up to 1912, Howarth printed most of his plates himself. His first published plate in 1907 was of Stirling Castle. Like many other etchers of the period Howarth also sought the advice of Frederick Goulding (1842-1909), a master printer of copper plates, and a significant figure of the time who had worked with many etchers, including James McNeill Whistler and Sir Francis Seymour Haden.

In 1909 he published a set of 12 etchings of Oxford University Colleges and followed this up in 1910 with a set of 7 etchings focusing on the Cambridge University Colleges. That same year Howarth was elected an Associate of the Royal Society of Painters Etchers and Engravers, where he exhibited regularly until 1923, along with exhibitions at several galleries, including the Royal Academy.

He travelled extensively within the British Isles and Western Europe, spending over six months in Venice in 1912, where he produced many drawings, including The Doge’s Palace, Piazza San Marco, The Bridge of Sighs,
Ca D’Oro, Canale Albrizzi, Palazzo Dario, The Grand Canal and The Rialto Bridge.

In addition to his prolific etchings he was also known as a water-colourist, although surviving examples of his work seldom appear.

Howarth’s work was very popular in his day, with most of his output up to 1912 sold to collectors and only obtainable when it came up for resale. He worked with several printer/publishers throughout his career; they would purchase a plate in order to produce a limited edition set of prints, after which the plate would be destroyed to preserve exclusivity.

Howarth moved to London in 1905, then to Essex the following year, where he lived and worked until 1920. He then moved to Watford, Hertfordshire, where he remained until his death on 14 November 1936.