The Waterloo Heroes Assembled at Apsley House

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  • About the work
    Location
    Country: France
    City: Paris
    Place: British Embassy

    The catalogue of the Royal Academy exhibition of 1842 explained that the original oil painting of The Waterloo Heroes ‘represents the Duke of Wellington receiving his distinguished guests meeting to celebrate the anniversary of the glorious 18th of June…’. The Duke of Wellington and his guests are shown attending Wellington’s annual banquet for the heroes of the Battle of Waterloo on the anniversary of the victory over Napoleon in 1815. The Duke began this tradition in 1817 or 1818, and continued to hold annual banquets at Apsley House, his London home, until his death in 1852.


  • About the artist
    John Prescott Knight, portrait painter, was born in Stafford, son of the comedian Edward Knight. He initially worked as junior clerk for a West India merchant in London before studying drawing with Henry Sass and colouring with George Clint. In 1823, he entered the Royal Academy Schools. He painted several important figures of the Victorian age as well as large group portraits. Many of his works were engraved. In 1831, he married genre painter Clarissa Isabella Hague. He became a member of the Royal Academy in 1844 and later Professor of Perspective at the Academy Schools and Secretary of the Academy. In 1878, he was made a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur. Knight died in London aged 78 and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery.
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  • Details
    Title
    The Waterloo Heroes Assembled at Apsley House
    Date
    published 1 October 1845
    Medium
    Mezzotint
    Dimensions
    height: 74.50 cm, width: 107.00 cm
    Acquisition
    Purchased from Grosvenor Prints, May 2006
    Provenance
    Grosvenor Prints, London
    GAC number
    18074