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Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758–1805), 1st Viscount Nelson, KB by William Beechey

Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758–1805), 1st Viscount Nelson, KB

William Beechey·1800

Historical Context

This portrait of Admiral Horatio Nelson from 1800, now at Colchester and Ipswich Museums, was painted in the period between Nelson's victories at the Nile (1798) and Copenhagen (1801). Nelson was the most celebrated Briton of his era, and demand for his portrait was insatiable. The portrait reflects Beechey's extensive practice among the English gentry and professional classes, executed with the solid, dependable technique that made him widely trusted across all levels of Georgian society.

Technical Analysis

Nelson's distinctive features and naval decorations are rendered with precision, the hero's intense gaze conveying the determination that characterized Britain's greatest naval commander.

See It In Person

Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service

Colchester, United Kingdom

Visit museum website →

Quick Facts

Medium
Oil paint
Dimensions
74 × 61 cm
Era
Neoclassicism
Style
British Neoclassicism
Genre
Portrait
Location
Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service, Colchester
View on museum website →

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Dorothea Jordan as Rosalind by William Beechey

Dorothea Jordan as Rosalind

William Beechey·1750

George III and the Prince of Wales Reviewing Troops by William Beechey

George III and the Prince of Wales Reviewing Troops

William Beechey·1798

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