Charles Corbutt

The Right Hon.ble Richard Lord Howe. Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Fleets in America.

14.5 x 19.5 inches

Lord Howe (1726-1799) was one of England's most celebrated and successful naval officers during the reign of George III. He served as Naval Commander throughout the Seven Year's War, distinguished himself during the American War of Independence (becoming the Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Fleet in America) and went on to fight valiantly at The Glorious 1st June in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars. This image shows him during his American campaign with sword in hand and the British Fleet in the background.

Corbutt was the alias of Richard Purcell, an Irish mezzotint engraver who worked under a pseudonym to conceal his identity when copying the works of others. He came to London from Dublin and although he led a dissolute life in the capital he managed to produce an impressive number of very competent mezzotint portraits and decorative prints after his contemporaries.