Sir Peter Parker, Baronet, Admiral and Commander in Chief to His Majesty's Fleet, 1799: P.15006-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Sir Peter Parker, Baronet, Admiral and Commander in Chief to His Majesty's Fleet, 1799

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Green, Valentine
Publisher: Green, Valentine
Painter: Abbott, Lemuel Francis (After)

Entities

Description

After the painting by Lemuel Francis Abbott (c.1760-1802; National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Greenwich Hospital Collection; BHC2932). Admiral Sir Peter Parker (1721-1811) was a Naval officer and early patron of Lord Nelson. He was also MP for Seaford, East Sussex. He is seen full length turned towards the left, facing front, his right hand holding his Admiral's hat held out towards the left and his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He is portrayed at the Portsmouth Battery standing in front of a cannon, which points out to sea to the left of the picture. His flagship, the 'Royal William' is seen in the background on the sea to the left. The 'Royal William' was guardship (a warship employed as a stationary guard in a port or harbour) at Portsmouth in 1799. The Union flag flying at the main mast signifies Parker's rank as Admiral of the Fleet, a position which he attained on 16th September, 1799. (See catalogue entry on Royal Museums Greenwich website: https://prints.rmg.co.uk/products/admiral-sir-peter-parker-1721-1811-bhc2932; accessed January 9th 2019)

Notes

History note: VanSittart gave 1,485 engravings to the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1879 and this mezzotint was probably included within this group.

Legal notes

Given by Augustus Arthur VanSittart, ?1879

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1879) by VanSittart, Augustus Arthur

Dating

19th Century
Production date: 1800-04-30 AD 1800

Note

Mezzotint, printed in black ink. Fully-lettered state. Lettered with title, production and publication details in a second plate below the image plate. Engraved in italics at lower left: 'Painted by L. F. Abbott.' and lower right: 'Engraved by V. Green, Mezzotinto Engraver to his Majesty.'. Title engraved in italics to either side of a shield with coat of arms (the three keys at upper left relating to Parker's baronetcy): 'Sir Peter Parker, Baronet. Admiral ... and Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Fleet, 1799'. Publication details engraved below to either side of the shield: 'Published and Sold by V. Green, No2, New Road, opposite Fitzroy Square; and ... L.F. Abbott, No12, Caroline Street, Bedford Square, London, April 30th; 1800.'. Inscribed in graphite at lower right: 'V. Green / S 96 p.575'. Inscribed in graphite on the verso: 'Vansittart Collection' and 'm 12'.

School or Style

British

Techniques used in production

Mezzotint

Identification numbers

Accession number: P.15006-R
Primary reference Number: 240053
Whitman (Green): 148
Chaloner Smith: 96 (p.575)
Lugt: L.2479ter
O'Donaghue: undescribed
Stable URI