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18th Century Royal Military Mezzotint The Miraculous Escape of The Duke of York

1795

This is a large framed very rare hand-colored copperplate mezzotint engraved portrait of William Pitt, the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham by Edward Fisher, published in London in 1779 after a painting by Richard Brompton. Pitt is depicted attired in a flowing regal appearing cape, standing in an ornate room with his left hand outstretched over a serious of manuscripts and scrolls that are laying on a table or desk to his left. The table is covered by a beautiful oriental carpet. The manuscripts include the Magna Carta, a map of the colonies, including Long Island and Staten Island, and papers entitled "A Plan for the Reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies", "A Motion Made in 1775 for the Recall of Troops from Boston", "A Provisional Act for Settling the Troubles in America Offered to the House of Lords in 1775", and "It is doing Nothing to repeal a few Scraps of Paper or Pieces of Parchment called Acts of Parliament. But our Business is to repeal the Ill-Will and the Animosity unfortunately now subsisting between Great Britain and North America". This engraving is held by the British Museum and the British Royal Collection Trust. This large framed mezzotint engraving is presented in a brown wood frame with gold-colored beaded inner and outer trim, and a cream-colored French mat. The frame measures 31.63" high by 26.63" wide by 0.75" deep. There are three short tears along the right edge and mild creasing in the left upper, left lower and right lower corners. It is otherwise in very good condition. William Pitt (1708-1778) was a member of the British parliament from 1735 to 1761 and prime minister from 1766 to 1768. Pitt was an advocate for the American colonies leading up to the War of Independence. He called for an amiable relationship between Great Britain and the colonies and opposed the Stamp Act and military action in America. He advocated for a withdrawal of English troops from Boston in 1775 and the settling of troubles in America, as two of his manuscripts on the table outline. Pitt's colleague, Lord Shelburne (later the Marquess of Lansdowne) shared his sympathies and after Pitt's death, signed a peace treaty with the United States in 1782. The American city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is named for William Pitt, the Elder. The name originated when the conflict between the British and French over territorial claims in the Northeast were settled in 1758. General John Forbes and his British army, supported by the American colonial troops, expelled the French from Fort Duquesne (which had been constructed by the French in 1754). Forbes re-named the site for William Pitt the Elder, who at the time was a British statesman. The earliest known reference to the new name, Pittsburgh, is in a letter sent from General John Forbes to Pitt, dated November 27, 1758. Pitt's son, William Pitt, the Younger, like his father, also served as British Prime Minister. Edward Fisher (1730-1785) was born in Ireland in 1730. He was originally a hatter, but learned engraving in London. He became a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1766, and exhibited there fourteen times between 1761 and 1776. He engraved more than sixty portraits. In addition to this portrait of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, after Richard Brompton he engraved several portraits after Brompton, including George, Earl of Albemarle, as well as engraved portraits after paintings by Joshua Reynolds, including the Shakespearean actor David Garrick, Hugh, Earl of Northumberland, and Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland and Laurence Sterne, and Hope Nursing Love, as well as Robert Brown, after Mason Chamberlin, Colley Cibber, after Jean-Baptiste van Loo, Christian VII of Denmark, after Nathaniel Dance, Simon, Earl Harcourt, after Hunter, Roger Long, after Benjamin Wilson...

This is a 17th century engraved mezzotint portrait of the Duchess of St. Albans by John Smith, after a painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller. It was published in London by John Boydell in 1694. The Duchess of St. Albans (1642-1712) was a woman named Diana de Vere. She was born in 1642, the daughter of Aubrey de Vere, the 20th Earl of Oxford. In 1662, she married Charles Beauclerk, the illegitimate son of King Charles II and his mistress, Nell Gwyn. As a result of her marriage, Diana became the Duchess of St. Albans, and she and Charles had several children together. Diana was known for her beauty and charm, and she was a prominent figure in the court of King Charles II. Despite her husband's illegitimate birth, Diana was highly respected in the royal court and was known for her intelligence and wit. She was a patron of the arts and supported many artists and writers of the time. Diana lived through a tumultuous period of English history, including the Great Fire of London and the Glorious Revolution, which saw King James II replaced by William of Orange. She died in 1712 at the age of 70 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Descendants of Diana and her husband, who was an illegitimate son of King Charles II, include Diana, Princess of Wales and her son William, Duke of Cambridge. An author wrote of her: "The line of Vere, so long renown’d in arms, Concludes with luster in St. Albans’s charms; Her conquering eyes have made their race complete, It rose in valor, and in beauty set." This striking mezzotint engraving depicts Diana, Duchess of St Albans in a three-quarter length pose, standing, wearing loose flowing dress and a wrap. She has a very serene, calm appearance as she is looking straight at the viewer. There is a landscape of trees in the background. The print is adhered in the corners to an archival backing, which is itself adhered in the upper corners to a larger backing. The print is trimmed to just beyond the plate mark. There are areas of discoloration in the margins and in the inscription area, but the print is otherwise in very good condition. The sheet measures 14.5" high and 10" wide. This mezzotint is held by multiple museums and institutions, including The British Museum, The National Portrait Gallery London, The Fine Arts Museum of Boston, The Lewis Walpole Library at Yale, The Yale Center for British Art, The Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge and The National Galleries of Scotland. The original Kneller painting is part of the British Royal Collection Trust and hangs in the King's Private Dining Room at Hampton Court Palace. Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) was a leading portrait painter of his time, particularly renowned for his depictions of the British aristocracy and royalty. He was born in Lübeck, Germany, and trained in Amsterdam under the painter Ferdinand Bol...

This is an 18th century mezzotint portrait of Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland, Baroness Percy by Richard Houston after a painting by Joshua Reynolds, published in London by Robert Sayer in 1763. It is a rare, full length portrait of Elizabeth, who was known as Lady Betty. Lady Betty stands, facing to the right, holding her coronet, and wearing her peeress’s ermine and velvet robes over a brocade dress. In the background are a column, a billowing drape, and the grounds of Alnwick Castle...

Architextures is a suite of 8 mezzotints in an edition of 50 created in 1984: Mosque and Mosque Interior (5.1 cm x 5.1 cm) Dome and Dome Interior (5.7cm x 3.8 cm) Castle and Castle ...

This is a mid 18th century engraved portrait of Abel François Poisson de Vandières, Marquis de Marigny by Jean Georges Wille after a painting by Louis Tocque...

This is a 17th century engraving entitled "Messire Nicolas Lambert Seigneur de Thorigny, Conseiller du Roy" by Pierre Drevet after a painting by Noicolas de Largillière, published in Paris in 1698. This portrait depicts a three-quarter length view of Nicolas Lambert de Thorigny, who is dressed in elaborate robes and collar of a wealthy Parisian nobleman of the time. He is seated directed to the left and looking directly at the viewer. He is holding an inscribed note in his right hand. A magnificent billowing curtain is in the background. Lambert's coat of arms is shown in the center of the lower inscription area. In the inscription area is lettered with title, production detail: "Nic. Largilliere pinxit" and "Petr. Drevet sculpsit", and publication detail: "Se vend a Paris chez Drevet rüe du Foin au coin du College de Maître Gervais". Nicolas Lambert, Seigneur de Thorigny (1600-1664), was a French nobleman and military commander who lived in the 17th century. He served in the French army during the Thirty Years' War, a conflict that took place from 1618 to 1648 and involved many European powers. Lambert fought in several battles during the war and rose to the rank of colonel. After the war, Lambert returned to France and became involved in politics. He served as a member of the Estates General, a legislative body that advised the king, and as a governor of several provinces. He was a counsellor and confidant of King Louis XIV. He had the title of Président de la Chambre des Comptes. He also became a member of the French Academy of Sciences, a prestigious institution that promotes scientific research and scholarship. Lambert was known for his military expertise, his intelligence, and his commitment to public service. He iInherited the Hôtel Lambert in Paris from his brother Jean Baptiste in 1644 and hired some of the most prominent artists of the time, including Charles Le Brun to decorate and furnish the building. This beautiful old master engraving was created with impressive detailed technique. It is printed on laid, chain-linked paper. The sheet measures 18.5" high and 13.38" wide. The sheet is adhered to an archival backing paper at the top. There is a faint horizontal center fold and mild discoloration in the inscription area and in the upper margin on the right, with mild wrinkling here. The print is otherwise in very good condition, considering its age. This engraving is so rare, that no comparable prints could be identified for sale online. It is currently only listed in museum collections, including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum, The Louvre, The Riksmuseum, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Fitzwilliam Museum at the U. of Cambridge, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard Art Museums, The Finnish National Museum, The Philadelphia Museum. It is shown in the Metropolitan Museum's Cataloque of French paintings entitled: "French Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, published in 2018, page 36. The page is included in the photos. Nicolas de Largillière (1656-1746) was a French portrait painter who achieved great success and acclaim during the late Baroque and Rococo periods. He was born in Paris and trained under the painter Antoine Goubeau. He studied in Antwerp and London before returning to France. While in England he was a favorite painter of King Charles II and King James II of England...