View of Liverpool from the Fort

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

John Thomas Serres was born in London, son of marine painter Dominic Serres the elder. On his father's death he succeeded him as Marine Painter to George III. In 1800, he was appointed Marine Draughtsman to the Admiralty and employed to draw the coasts of Britain, France, Spain and the Mediterranean. He also taught at Chelsea Naval School, painted battle scenes and published ‘Liber Nauticus’ (1805), with plates after his and his father’s drawings. In 1817, he became a proprietor of the Coburg Theatre and subsequently the scenic director. He married a pupil, Olivia Wilmot, who claimed to be the daughter of the Duke of Cumberland. Her behaviour ruined Serres, who lost favour in court. He died soon after his release from a debtor's prison.

Places

England, Merseyside

Subjects

rope, rowing boat, barrel, topography, seascape/coastal scene, townscape/cityscape, sea, man, coat of arms, house, church, shipwreck, sailboat, ship

Materials & Techniques

coloured etching

Artist

John Thomas Serres (1759 - 1825)

Title

View of Liverpool from the Fort

Date

February 1798

Medium

Coloured etching

Dimensions

height: 37.0cm, width: 53.5cm

Acquisition

Origin unknown

Inscription

image: [bottom right, on wood, next to figure shown sketching] I T SERRES 1797; below image: Subscription Print From a Painting of & Etch'd by T.S. Serres Marine Painter to His Majesty & His H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence To the Right Hon.ble the Earl of Derby &c. &c. &c. By Permission this View of Liverpool from the Fort is most respecfully Inscrib'd by his Lordships most Obed.t Serv.t Jno Tho.s Serres Publish'd Feb.y 1798 by Tho.s Macklin, Poets Gallery London & Rob.t Preston & C.o Castle Street Liverpool. [armorial in centre bearing motto SANS CHARGER]

GAC number

15735