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Description: | bound volume (dimensions 54 x 38 x 6) inscr. on plate below image "The Right Honourable Robert Earl of Oxford & Earl Mortimer, Baron / Harley of Wigmore in the County of Hereford, One of the Lords of Her / Majties. most Honoble Privy Council, Knight of ye most Noble Order of ye Garter / & Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain."; inscr. on plate b.l. "G: Kneller S.R. et Angl. Eques Aur: Pinx."; inscr. on plate b.c. "I. Smith fec. 1714."; inscr. on plate b.r. "Sold by I. Smith at the Lyon & Crown in Russel Street Covent Garden"; inscr. on page t.r. hand-written in brown ink "52"
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 together containing 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 Kneller, author of this portrait, was key to his success. From around 1690 almost all engravings after portraits by Kneller, were executed by Smith.
Robert Harley, first Earl of Oxford was Prime Minister from 1710-1714. He was also a collector of books and manuscripts. The print is one among a group of portraits of aristocrats positioned together in the volume. | 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 : LORD HIGH TREASURER OF GREAT BRITAIN : WIG : LACE CRAVAT : GEORGE : EARL : WAND : BARON : PRIVY COUNCIL : ORDER OF THE GARTER : 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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