18th Century King George III Reverse-Painted Mezzotint Engraved by Richard Purcell
King George III, King of Great Britain
Rare Georgian Reverse-Painted Mezzotint on Glass after Jeremiah Meyer RA
Engraved by Richard Purcell and Published by Robert Sayer, London, Circa 1763–1765
Original 18th-Century Royal Portrait on Glass | Georgian British Decorative Art
Highlights
• Rare Georgian reverse-painted mezzotint on glass dating from circa 1763–1765.
• Presents the young King George III in formal profile wearing the insignia of the Order of the Garter.
• Based upon a royal portrait by Jeremiah Meyer RA, founding member of the Royal Academy.
• Mezzotint engraved by the respected eighteenth-century printmaker Richard Purcell.
• Published by Robert Sayer of Fleet Street during the golden age of Georgian printmaking.
• Preserves its original title panel together with the artist, engraver and publisher inscriptions.
• Professionally conserved and mounted within a bespoke Larson-Juhl frame.
• Protected by Artglass AR99 Water White Museum Glass offering anti-reflective clarity and approximately 99% ultraviolet protection.
• Supported by documented auction provenance and a previous museum exhibition loan.
• A significant royal portrait appealing to collectors of Georgian art, British history and early American history.
Introduction
A rare and visually compelling Georgian reverse-painted mezzotint on glass portraying King George III of Great Britain during the opening years of his reign.
Created in London circa 1763–1765, the image was engraved by Richard Purcell after a portrait by Jeremiah Meyer RA and issued by the prominent Fleet Street publisher Robert Sayer. The young sovereign is depicted in dignified profile, wearing court dress and the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Reverse-painted glass pictures occupied a distinctive position within eighteenth-century interiors. More elaborate and costly than ordinary paper prints, they transformed familiar engraved images into luminous decorative objects intended for display in country houses, libraries and fashionable Georgian townhouses.
The fragility of their construction has resulted in a comparatively low survival rate. This example is particularly desirable because it retains the complete inscription area recording the portrait’s artist, engraver, royal subject and original London publisher.
Enhanced by specialist conservation framing and premium museum glazing, the portrait combines historical importance, refined Georgian craftsmanship and exceptional decorative presence.
Catalogue Details
Artist: After Jeremiah Meyer RA (1735–1789)
Engraver: Richard Purcell (circa 1720–1766)
Publisher: Robert Sayer, Fleet Street, London
Title: George the III, King of Great Britain, &c. &c.
Date: Circa 1763–1765
Medium: Reverse-Painted Mezzotint on Glass
Period: Georgian
Style: Eighteenth-Century British Royal Portraiture
Subject: King George III
Inscription: Meyer Pinx. and Richd. Purcil Fecit
Frame: Bespoke Larson-Juhl Moulded Frame
Glazing: Artglass AR99 Water White Museum Glass
Catalogue Note
King George III appears in a formal profile portrait designed to convey youth, dignity and sovereign authority. His carefully arranged court dress is complemented by the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the highest and most prestigious British order of chivalry.
The underlying composition derives from Jeremiah Meyer’s likeness of the newly crowned monarch. Richard Purcell translated Meyer’s portrait into mezzotint, a printmaking process particularly valued for its subtle tonal range, soft modelling and ability to reproduce the visual character of painted portraiture.
The resulting image was subsequently coloured and worked upon the reverse of the glass. This specialised decorative process required the visible details and highlights to be placed before the broader colours and background layers. When viewed through the front of the glass, the composition acquires a distinctive depth, brilliance and polished luminosity.
Its surviving inscription panel is an especially valuable feature. In addition to identifying the sitter, it preserves the artistic and commercial history of the image, including its relationship to Meyer, Purcell and Robert Sayer.
The restrained scale allows the portrait to be displayed in a study, library or curated gallery wall while retaining the authority and visual distinction expected of an eighteenth-century royal image.
Historical Context
The portrait was published within the first years of George III’s reign, following his accession in October 1760 and coronation in September 1761.
This was an important period for the production and circulation of royal imagery. Portraits of the new king allowed his likeness to reach audiences throughout Britain and across its overseas territories, reinforcing ideas of loyalty, political continuity and national identity.
Robert Sayer was among London’s most successful print and map publishers. Operating from Fleet Street, he issued portraits, landscapes, maps and decorative prints for an expanding market of domestic and international buyers.
Glass pictures based upon engraved sources offered an especially luxurious form of presentation. Their luminous surfaces and rich hand-applied colouring made them well suited to fashionable interiors, but their vulnerability to impact, moisture and surface deterioration meant that comparatively few survived intact.
Produced before the American War of Independence, the portrait also possesses an important transatlantic dimension. It records the appearance and public image of the monarch whose reign would encompass the loss of the thirteen American colonies, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic era.
The Sitter
King George III (1738–1820) became king in 1760 at the age of twenty-two and remained on the throne for almost sixty years.
His reign witnessed enormous political, industrial and cultural transformation. It included the American Revolution, Britain’s expanding influence in India, conflict with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France and significant developments in agriculture, science and the arts.
George III maintained a close personal interest in farming, architecture, music and intellectual enquiry. His extensive collection of books later formed an important part of the British Library’s historic holdings.
This portrait belongs to the king’s youthful public image, presenting him as a confident new sovereign through the visual language of court dress, noble profile and chivalric distinction.
The Artist & Engraver
Jeremiah Meyer RA (1735–1789) was a highly regarded portrait miniaturist and an influential figure within the Georgian art establishment.
Born in Tübingen, Meyer settled in England and developed a successful career at court. He was appointed Miniature Painter to Queen Charlotte and became a founding member of the Royal Academy in 1768. His elegant images of the royal family contributed significantly to the visual identity of the early reign of George III.
Richard Purcell (circa 1720–1766) was an accomplished mezzotint engraver active in London during the middle decades of the eighteenth century. His portraits are recognised for their tonal depth, controlled modelling and effective interpretation of painted originals.
The words “Richd. Purcil Fecit” identify Purcell as the maker of the engraving. The Latin term fecit means “made this” or “executed this”.
Inscription
The complete engraved lower margin includes:
Meyer Pinx.
Richd. Purcil Fecit
George the III, King of Great Britain, &c. &c.
It also carries the publishing information for Robert Sayer of Fleet Street, London.
The retention of this original wording provides valuable evidence concerning the image’s authorship, production and historical identity.
Framing & Conservation
The portrait has undergone professional conservation and is housed within a bespoke moulded frame by Larson-Juhl.
Premium Artglass AR99 Water White Museum Glass has been installed to provide exceptional transparency with greatly reduced reflections. The glazing also offers approximately 99% ultraviolet protection, helping to limit the long-term effects of light upon the historic painted surface.
This conservation-led presentation provides an excellent viewing experience while supporting the continued preservation of the artwork.
Provenance
Private Collection, United Kingdom.
Hutchinson Scott Auctioneers, Lot 656.
Privately loaned to and exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire.
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.
Dimensions
Framed
Height: 42.5 cm
Width: 33 cm
Depth: 2 cm
Visible Image
Height: 36 cm
Width: 25 cm
An exceptionally rare cabinet-scale Georgian portrait suitable for a library, private study, period interior or specialist royal collection.
Condition Report
Presented in very good antique condition considering its age of approximately 260 years.
The portrait retains strong colour, clear imagery and its complete lower inscription panel. Historic surface characteristics include minor losses to the painted decoration, areas of oxidation, craquelure and isolated deterioration associated with the natural ageing of reverse-painted glass.
These age-related features are consistent with the medium and considerable age of the work. They preserve its genuine historic character and do not prevent the portrait from displaying impressively.
The bespoke Larson-Juhl frame and Artglass AR99 museum glazing remain in excellent condition.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the catalogue description. A detailed condition report is available upon request.
Shipping
Professional worldwide shipping is available.This fragile historic artwork will be prepared using specialist fine art packing materials and dispatched fully insured for secure delivery. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® has extensive experience arranging the national and international transportation of paintings, sculpture, antique glass and other valuable works of art.
Attribution & Research Notice
The attribution, dating, historical observations and provenance information presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional, non-guaranteed opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. The conclusions are offered in good faith following examination of the available evidence, surviving inscriptions, stylistic comparisons, published reference sources and extensive experience within the international fine art market. Attributions and historical interpretations should be understood as informed professional opinions rather than guarantees of authorship, origin, date, provenance or identity. Future conservation, technical investigation or academic research may refine or expand the present understanding of the artwork.
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®
Specialises in carefully selected fine art, antiques and historic interior pieces. Every work is individually examined, researched and professionally presented, enabling private collectors, interior designers and institutions worldwide to acquire distinctive historic artworks with confidence.
