The Peninsular Heroes Assembled at the United Services Club

Location

Country: France
City: Paris
Place: British Embassy

In 1848, Knight exhibited what seems to be a companion piece to the Heroes of Waterloo, titled Heroes of the Peninsula (1846; Wyndam Park), at the Royal Academy. It had already been engraved by Frederick Bromley in 1847. The Peninsular Heroes again shows the Duke of Wellington and his companions in arms, gathered within the United Services Club. Among those depicted are General Paget, standing over a map on a table, at which General Combermere sits on the left; Marshal Beresford and Lieutenant Keane, sitting on the right with a plumed helmet on the ground in front of them; and General Murral, standing to the right. Wellington is in the centre of the composition, gesturing towards General Bradford, who stands on the left.

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.
Frederick Bromley, who engraved works after Daniel Maclise, J. P. Knight and Charles and Edwin Landseer, is thought to be the son of engraver William Bromley (c. 1769- 1842) and the brother of engravers James Bromley (1800-1838) and John Charles Bromley (died 1839). However, Redgrave suggests that Frederick was in fact the son of John Charles.

Places

England, London, Portugal, Spain

Subjects

painting (as Subject), topography, portrait, male portrait, text-based work, 19th century costume, military uniform, trousers, glove, Viscount, Duke, sword, major general, general, colonel, field marshal, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular War, window, bookcase, curtain, carpet, chair, table (as Subject), public interiors

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

John Prescott Knight (1803 - 1881)
Frederick Bromley

Title

The Peninsular Heroes Assembled at the United Services Club

Date

published 1 November 1847

Medium

Mezzotint

Dimensions

height: 74.00 cm, width: 106.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Grosvenor Prints, May 2006

Provenance

Grosvenor Prints, London

GAC number

18075