Location

Country: St. Helena
City: Jamestown
Place: Governor's Office

Sir William Beechey was born in Burford, Oxfordshire. After his father’s death (1789) he was raised by his uncle and initially apprenticed to a firm of solicitors. In 1772 he moved to London to enter the Royal Academy Schools. He soon married and his children include painter and explorer Henry William. From c.1782 he worked in Norwich, returning to London in 1787. Beechey was a widow by 1793, when he married miniature painter Anne Phyllis Jessop. In 1794 he became a member of the Royal Academy, received a knighthood and exhibited ‘His Majesty Reviewing the Third Dragoon Guards’, his most celebrated work. He was named portrait painter to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Principle Portrait Painter to William IV before his death aged 85.

People

George III

Places

Subjects

horseback, royal portrait, male portrait, horse, 19th century costume, military uniform, boots, epaulettes, bicorn, King, sword

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

James Ward (1769 - 1859)
William Hopkins
Sir William Beechey (1753 - 1839)

Title

King George III (1738-1820, Reigned 1760-1820) on his Favourite Charger Adonis

Date

published 1 February 1804

Medium

Mezzotint

Acquisition

Purchased from Colnaghi, April 1952

GAC number

1557