Henry Singleton, engraved by William Nutter, 1809

Updated August 18, 2026

A stipple engraving titled The Absent Father or The Sorrows of War, with the corresponding French title Le Pere Absent ou les Chagrins de la Guerre. The composition is after a painting by Henry Singleton and was engraved by William Nutter. The central publication line at the base of the image reads London Published by J. Deeley March 1, 1809. 95 Berwick St. Soho. The sentimental scene portrays a soldier in an ornate uniform reading a letter to a family group comprising a seated mother with a sleeping infant, a young girl, and an elderly woman in prayer outside a cottage, accompanied by a small dog. The print bears the inscriptions H. Singleton Pinxt to the lower left and W. Nutter Sculpt to the lower right. It is presented in a dark-stained wooden frame with a gilded inner slip. The reverse is backed with corrugated cardboard held by metal pins, with fragments of old newspaper adhering to the frame edges. Frame dimensions: approx. H 50 cm x W 37 cm. Condition: The paper exhibits overall toning and significant age-related discolouration. There are several small white surface losses and abrasions within the image area. Scattered foxing is visible across the sheet. The frame shows substantial wear, with scuffing and losses to the dark finish and gilded slip.

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