Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) Vice-Admiral & Victor of Trafalgar

Location

Country: Jamaica
City: Kingston
Place: High Commission

Portrait painter Lemuel Francis Abbott was the son of a clergyman and was born in Leicestershire. He studied briefly with the artist Francis Hayman but was largely self-taught. By 1784 he had settled in London, where he became well-known for portraits of naval officers, his most famous sitter being Nelson (examples of his portraits of Nelson are in the National Maritime Museum, National Portrait Gallery and Scottish National Portrait Gallery). In 1798 Abbott was certified insane, according to one account the result of an ‘ill-assorted marriage’. He never recovered, although portraits by him were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1798 and 1800. Abbott died in Clerkenwell, London, in 1802. He is thought to have left a son.

People

Horatio, Viscount Nelson Nelson (1758 - 1805)

Places

Subjects

deck (ship), rigging, male portrait, smoke, 19th century costume, military uniform, stockings, breeches, epaulettes, trunk, shoe, coat of arms, medal, injury, Viscount, vice admiral, cannon, sword

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760/61 - 1802)
William S Barnard (1774 - 1849)

Title

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) Vice-Admiral & Victor of Trafalgar

Date

26 June 1806

Medium

Mezzotint

Acquisition

Purchased from Colnaghi, June 1952

GAC number

1708