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Description: | bound volume (dimensions 54 x 38 x 6) inscr. on plate below image "Georgius D.G. Mag: Britanniae Franciae et Hiberniae Rex Fidei Defensor / Brun: et Lunen: Dux S.R.I. Arch: Thesau: et Princeps Elector &c. Inauguratus XX die Octoinscr. on plate b.r.is 1714"; inscr. on plate b.l. "G. Kneller S.R.Imp: et Mag: Brit: Baronet: pinx."; inscr. on plate b.r. "Ab Originali I. Smith Fec: et ex: 1715"; inscr. on page t.r. hand-written in brown ink "25" 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.
George I, first monarch from the Hanoverian dynasty, reigned from 1714 to1727. Smith created a set of Royal portraits covering the Stuart and Hanoverian dynasties up to George II, several in two sizes and a smaller, reversed version of this print is included in the second volume. 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. | 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 : LACE CRAVAT : COLLAR : GEORGE : ERMINE : KING : VOLUME : HOUSE OF HANOVER : 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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