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Thomas Frye

Old Woman Leaning on a Cane, from Life-Sized Heads

1760
Mezzotint in black on buff laid paper
47.4 × 35.2 cm (18.7 × 13.9 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Frye's most important work in the graphic media was the mezzotint series of twelve life-sized heads. These monumental portraits are distinctive in the history of English mezzotints; not only is their life-size scale unusual, but they are also original portraits created specifically for the mezzotint medium. Only a few years after their creation, Frye's richly atmospheric mezzotints influenced portraits by Joseph Wright of Derby.

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