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Description: | bound volume (dimensions 54 x 38 x 7) inscr. below image "Praestantissumus Nobilissimusq Johannes Churchill Marchio de Blandford / Illustrissimorum Johannis et Scarce Ducis et Ducissae de Marlborough Filius / Summa Parentum Nobilitate inter primos Clarus Virtutibus fuit non minus celebris, Corporisq; ac animi dotibus / paucos habuit pares priorem neminem. Natus Id. Jan: Aer: Christ: MDCLXXXVI. Obyt X Kal: Mart: MDCCII"; inscr. bl. G. Kneller S.R.Imp et Angl. Eques Aur. pinx."; inscr. bc. "I. Smith fec"; inscr. br. "Sold by I. Smith at ye Lyon and Crown in Russel Street Covent Garden" CRE SMITH, John; (English; 1652-1743) AFTER KNELLER, Godfrey, Sir; (English; 1646-1723) Part of William Hunter's original bequest, this is one of three volumes which together contain 488 mezzotints, almost all made or published by John Smith. About two thirds are portraits of eminent late Stuart, early Hanoverian persons, and one third fancy and mythological subjects.
Instrumental in raising the standard of mezzotint portraits, Smith was the first British printmaker to gain a European reputation, and examples of his work were essential for any serious early to mid 18th century European print collection.
Hunter's set of volumes is a rare surviving example of a comprehensive collection of mezzotints compiled in the 1730s.
Smith's close association with leading portrait painter Godfrey Kneller, author of this portrait, was key to his success. From around 1690 almost all engravings after portraits by Kneller, were executed by Smith.
This is the son of army officer and politician John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough whose portrait appears twice in volume one (Glaha 16380 & 81). He died aged 17. A portrait of his sisters by Kneller is also included in this volume (Glaha 16229) among a group of portraits of the children of royal and aristocratic figures. | License: | http://www.hmag.gla.ac.uk/spirit/rights/ | Publisher: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Rights holder: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Subjects: | FULL-LENGTH : PORTRAIT : STANDING : FOUNTAIN : DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH : ALBUM : VOLUME : HUNTER VOLUME : | Source: | Hunterian Museum | Creator: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Identifier: | http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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