A masterful 1767 mezzotint by Richard Earlom, reproducing the classic Flemish genre scene of two men counting their wealth.

This mezzotint by Richard Earlom, published in 1767, reproduces the famous painting by the Flemish master Quentin Matsys. Earlom was a highly skilled engraver, and his mastery of the mezzotint process allowed him to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow present in the original oil work. The scene depicts two elderly men hunched over a table, meticulously counting coins and recording their wealth in a ledger. Their expressions, marked by suspicion and greed, are rendered with sharp clarity. The composition focuses on the tactile nature of their activity, from the worn pages of the ledger to the scattered currency and the heavy, textured fabrics of their garments.

Earlom utilised the mezzotint technique to create a soft, atmospheric quality that contrasts with the harsh, avaricious nature of the subjects. By roughening the copper plate to hold ink in varying degrees, he achieved a tonal depth that mimics the painterly effects of the Northern Renaissance style. The inclusion of a parrot in the background and the candle on the shelf adds layers of symbolic meaning, often associated with vanity and the fleeting nature of material possessions in art of this period. This print was part of a broader effort by publishers like John Boydell to bring works from the Royal Collection to a wider audience, demonstrating the technical capabilities of British printmaking during the eighteenth century. The work remains a fine example of how reproductive printmaking could translate the psychological weight of a painting into a monochrome medium, preserving the narrative tension of the original composition for collectors and scholars alike.