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C1822
(1822)
Columbus Breaking the Egg
Artist:
The tale of the “Egg of Columbus” is apocryphal and was ascribed to Filippo Brunelleschi with regard to the construction of the dome of the Duomo in Florence before it was related pertaining to Columbus. The story told by Girolamo … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
Columbus Breaking the Egg
Date:
C1822
(1822)
Artist:
Condition:
In good condition.
Technique:
Copper engraving.
Image Size:
190mm
x 160mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1822
Description:
The tale of the “Egg of Columbus” is apocryphal and was ascribed to Filippo Brunelleschi with regard to the construction of the dome of the Duomo in Florence before it was related pertaining to Columbus. The story told by Girolamo Benzoni in his Historia del Mondo Nuovo of 1565 was that at a meal several of Columbus’s detractors began to comment that any number of other people could have found their way to the New World and that Columbus’s feat was unremarkable because of its simplicity. Columbus replied that it was only easy now that he had demonstrated how it was done, and by way of an example, he challenged anyone present to stand an egg on its end. After all those attempting the feat had admitted defeat Columbus demonstrated the simplicity of the challenge by crushing one end of the egg against the table which allowed it to remain upright.
From The works of William Hogarth from the original plates restored by James Heath : with the addition of many subjects not before collected, to which are prefixed a biographical essay on the genius and productions of Hogarth, and explanations of the subjects of the plates, by John Nichols.
William Hogarth (1697 - 1794)
Hogarth was born in London, the son of an unsuccessful schoolmaster and writer from Westmoreland. After apprenticeship to a goldsmith, he began to produce his own engraved designs from 1710. He later took up oil painting, starting with small portrait groups called conversation pieces. He went on to create a series of paintings satirising contemporary customs, but based on earlier Italian prints, of which the first was ‘The Harlot’s Progress’ (1731), and perhaps the most famous ‘The Rake’s Progress’. His engravings were so plagiarised that he lobbied for the Copyright Act of 1735 as protection for writers and artists.
