Le Conte
Photographer
|
|
John Le Conte
(1816-1887) was born in Britain of French ancestry.
He had a brief career as a professional photographer (1860-1863) in the
middle of a much longer career as an engraver.
|
Le
Conte
1861
Census
|
|
In
1861, John le Conte [age 43, engraver, b. Edinburgh] was living at 32
Frederick Street, a studio address that he moved away from later in the
year. He was living with:
- Catherine Morrison le Conte [engraver's
wife, age 41, b. Forres, Morayshire]
-
John Nicholas le Conte [son, scholar,
age 11, b. Edinburgh]
-
Ann le Conte [daughter,
scholar, age 10, b. Edinburgh]
-
Jessie Reid Le C [daughter,
scholar, age 5, b. Edinburgh]
-
Robertina Grant le Conte [daughter,
age 4, b. Edinburgh]
-
Catherine le Conte [daughter, age 2,
b. Edinburgh]
|
Le Conte
Painter
and Engraver
|
|
John Le Conte
was a stipple, mezzotint and line engraver. He produced engravings
for the annual publications of the Fine Arts Association of Scotland.
[John
C Guy: BOEC, Vol 9]
He worked for James Scott, engraver at 65 Princes Street from around
1830. He set up his own
engraving business from 1845 until at least 1870.
He was also listed in the 1868 trade directory as “Figure
& Animal Painter”.
Edinburgh Public Library
has over thirty water colours and engravings by John Le Cont.
Subjects include West Bow, Craigmillar Castle and the Earthen Mound,
Edinburgh. Some are dated from1833
to 1873; others are undated.
In 1979, the City Art
Centre staged an exhibition of Le Conte’s watercolours and ink drawings from
the 1860s to the 1880s, recognising him as being one of the most successful
engravers in Scotland in the third quarter of the 19th century.
|
Le
Conte's
Views from the Scott Monument
|
|
John
Le Conte sketched four views from the top of the Scots Monument in
Princes Street in the early 1840s - looking to the North, South, East and
West.
The view to the North looked out over James Howie's rooftop studio at 49
Princes Street. |
Le Conte
Question |
|
Please
e-mail me if you can help to
answer the question below, sent to me by Margaret Robertson of Canada, on
behalf of somebody who lives in Kelty, Fife, Scotland
Margaret wrote: |
|
Engraved
Picture of a Ploughman
"My friend has an engraved
picture of a ploughman ploughing a field with a mouse in the furrow .
This work is signed by John le Conte.
It also
has the name Robert Burns beside the signature . I realise
Robbie was dead before John le Conte was born.
Can you tell me anything
about this work . I have tried google and only found out more
about the artist."
Margaret Robertson, Nr. Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
March 22, 2007. |
|
Reply
1.
John McMurtrie
Kintore, Inverurie Aberdeenshire |
|
John McMurtrie, Aberdeenshire,
replied: |
|
Engraved
Picture of a Ploughman
"I too have an unframed print of
the ploughman uncovering a mouse in the furrow. Engraved by John Le Conte,
printed by A McGlashon, published Sept 1861 by William H Vannan,
Edinburgh. It bears a reproduction handwritten note "your oblidged humble
servt. Robert Burns"
Can you tell me anything about
this print?"
John McMurtrie, Kintore, Inverurie
Aberdeenshire: January 11, 2008 |
|
Reply
2.
Peter Stubbs
Edinburgh |
|
To a Mouse
I am not familiar with your
picture, but it sounds as if it may be an illustration of Burns' poem 'To
a Mouse'. The poem begins:
"Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
..."
Burns wrote this poem after
disturbing a nest of field mice while ploughing on a November day.
Peter Stubbs: January 11, 2008 |
|
Reply
3.
Catherine Hunter |
|
Robert Burns
Thank you to Catherine J
Hunter who wrote:
"I also have some Le Conte
engravings.
I have an original leather bound book of the
Burns' poem 'Cotters Saturday Night' with 14 Le Conte illustrations."
Catherine J Hunter: June 7, 2010 |
|