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Description: | bound volume (dimensions 54 x 38 x 6) inscr. on plate below image "Gulielmus Fertius D.G. Angliae / Scotiae Franciae et Hiberniae Rex &c."; inscr. on plate b.l. "G: Kneller ad vivum pinx:"; inscr. on plate b.r. "I: Smith fec: et ex:"; inscr. on page t.r. hand-written in brown ink "14" CRE SMITH, John; (English; 1652-1743) AFTER KNELLER, Godfrey, Sir; (English; 1646-1723) PUB SMITH, John; (English; 1652-1743) 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.
William III reigned from 1689-1702; jointly with Queen Mary of the Stuart dynasty until her death in 1694. 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. Smith created a set of Royal portraits covering the Stuart and Hanoverian dynasties up to George II. | 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: | PORTRAIT : HALF-LENGTH : ALBUM : OVAL : WIG : COLLAR : LACE CRAVAT : GEORGE : KING : VOLUME : HUNTER VOLUME : STUARTS : | 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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