“Love’s Young Dream” — after Jane M. Bowkett

Engraved & Printed by Illman Brothers (Philadelphia), c. 1865–1890
Hand-Colored Steel Engraving on Paper • Period Gilt Frame

A finely detailed Victorian steel engraving, “Love’s Young Dream” is based on the original painting by Jane Maria Bowkett (1837–1891), a British artist celebrated for her tender domestic and romantic scenes. This impression was engraved and printed by the Illman Brothers of Philadelphia, one of the foremost 19th-century American engraving firms. The print depicts a young couple in a garden — the woman seated with a bouquet of roses, her suitor standing shyly behind — a study in quiet yearning and genteel restraint.

The title echoes Thomas Moore’s 1808 poem “Love’s Young Dream”, emblematic of the Victorian fascination with sentimental ideals and moral romance. Subtle hand coloring to the roses and dress trims softens the engraving’s precision, giving the composition warmth and intimacy.

Why This Impression Matters

• After a Noted Victorian Woman Artist: Bowkett was one of the few women of her era to exhibit regularly in London, known for intimate, emotional genre paintings that were often reproduced as engravings for middle-class collectors.

• By a Prominent American Engraving House: The Illman Brothers—Edward, George, Henry, and William—operated in Philadelphia from the mid-19th century, producing engravings for illustrated books, art plates, and periodicals such as Peterson’s Magazine. Their precision and clarity elevated them to national renown.

• Cultural Resonance: This scene captures the Victorian ideal of modest courtship, where emotion was expressed through posture and symbolism—the fallen roses, the gentle turn of the head—rather than overt gesture.

Details

→ Title: Love’s Young Dream
→ After Artist: Jane M. Bowkett (British, 1837–1891)
→ Engravers & Printers: Illman Brothers, Philadelphia
→ Date: c. 1865–1890
→ Medium: Steel engraving with period hand-coloring
→ Frame: Ornate gilt and pressed filigree frame, likely early 20th century
→ Condition: Excellent for age; light toning and faint handling marks, image crisp and well preserved
→ Dimensions: (confirm sight and frame measurements)

Context & Display

During the 19th century, engravings like this brought fine art into domestic interiors, adorning parlors and libraries as tokens of refinement and sentiment. Today, the piece reads as a delicate relic of the Victorian romantic imagination—a work that pairs beautifully with dark floral wallpaper, brass fixtures, and period furniture. Its warm tones and ornate gilt frame invite placement within a gallery wall, sitting room, or bedroom vignette, where it contributes a sense of history and quiet emotion.