Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Ministry of Defence, Main Building, Whitehall

London-born engraver James Fittler exhibited two sketches at the Free Society of Artists, aged 17. He studied engraving at the Royal Academy Schools from 21 and exhibited there between 1788 and 1824, becoming an associate in 1800. He was later appointed marine engraver to George III. He contributed to Boydell’s ‘Shakespeare Gallery’ and co-published ‘Views of Weymouth’ (1790-91) and (with Robert Bowyer) an illustrated bible (1795), losing some £1500 in the later venture. He published engravings for John Claude Nattes's ‘Scotia Depicta’ (1804) and made reproductions of Raphael's ‘Cartoons’ (1810). His last published works illustrated Thomas Frognall Dibdin's ‘Account of the Mansion, Books, and Pictures, at Althorp’ (1822). He died aged 77.
Philip James de Loutherbourg, was born in Germany, the son of a miniaturist and engraver. The family moved to Paris in 1755 where he studied with Carle Van Loo and Jean-Georges Wille, before entering the studio of François Joseph Casanova. He left Paris in 1768 to travel through France, Switzerland and the Rhineland. In 1771 he arrived in London, where David Garrick gave him control of the scenery at Drury Lane Theatre. He remained at the theatre when Sheridan took over. In 1781, he became a member of the Royal Academy. He travelled throughout the UK on sketching tours and began painting naval victories in the 1790s. In 1807 he was made Historical Painter to the Duke of Gloucester. He died in Hammersmith, aged 71.

Places

Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic

Subjects

rowing boat, fleet, sea, flag, coat of arms, sailor (navy), French Revolutionary War, Third Battle of Ushant, Glorious First of June, ship

Materials & Techniques

engraving

Artist

James Fittler (1758 - 1835)
Philip James de Loutherbourg (1740 - 1812)

Title

The Glorious Victory, obtained over the French Fleet by the British Fleet under the Command of Earl Howe, on the First of June 1794

Date

published 1 January 1799

Medium

Engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from Colnaghi, April 1952

Provenance

Collection of Prince Loewenstein; Liechenstein Collection; with Colnaghi, London; from whom purchased by the Ministry of Works in April 1952

GAC number

1554