{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O180830"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O180830/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA1136/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA1136/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CA1136","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O180830/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O180830","accessionNumber":"E.1114-2008","objectType":"Print","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This particular type of print is called a mezzotint, a form of tonal engraving in which the design is made by pitting the surface of a copper plate with a serrated tool called a rocker, then smoothing and scraping the roughened surface so that different areas of the plate will hold varying quantities of ink. This creates a range of velvety tones and white highlights when the image is printed on to the paper.\r\n\r\nThis print depicts the artist Sir Godfrey Kneller. Kneller was born in Germany and after travelling and studying in The Netherlands and Italy, he came to London around 1676. He became a naturalised Englishman in 1683. He grew to be the foremost court and society portrait painter of his generation in England. Around 1685-1690, he fathered a daughter by his mistress. In 1704 he married the widowed daughter of a clergyman, Susanna Grave. The honours heaped upon him included a knighthood, a royal appointment as painter to the Crown, a baronetcy, an honorary doctorate from Oxford university and after his death, a monument in Westminster Abbey.\r\n\r\nBy the early 1680s Kneller's studio was in a large house in the piazza of London's Covent Garden. By 1709 he started building a substantial country house at Whitton, to the west of London. He filled this house with his own art collection, including works attributed to Rembrandt, van Dyck and Rubens.","physicalDescription":"Mezzotint three-quarter view portrait showing head and shoulders of Sir Godfrey Kneller facing front but his body towards the left. His right hand holds his cloak. He wears a white cravat and long grey wig. The portrait is set within an oval which is within a grey rectangular frame below which is the lettering.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kneller, Godfrey (Sir, Bt)","id":"A8583"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"after"},{"name":{"text":"Smith, John","id":"A8868"},"association":{"text":"mezzotinters","id":"AAT25176"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"mezzotint","id":"AAT53233"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Mezzotint on paper","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009CA1136"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"THURS","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"after 1694-1743","earliest":"1695-01-01","latest":"1743-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"35.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"platemark","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"platemark","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Godfricus Kneller Eques. / Guilielmui & Mariae Britanniae Regis & Reginae Pictorum Princeps / Offerebat Humillimus Servus Johannes Smith","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"[Approx] 'Sir Godfrey Kneller. / Lead painter to William and Mary King and Queen of Britain / Offered by your most humble servant John Smith'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on plate below image."}],"objectHistory":"After a painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller (born in Lübeck, Germany, 1646, died in London, 1723); mezzotinted by John Smith (born in Northampton, 1652, died in 1743); published in London","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Mezzotint by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller's painted self-portrait; British, after 1694.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Smith, John Chaloner. <u>British Mezzotint Portraits: being a descriptive catalogue.</u> London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1883."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Early English mezzotints: John Smith as printmaker and publisher</u>. Victoria and Albert Museum, 1998."}],"production":"Chaloner Smith:  (ii or iii/iii), vendor  listed it as 3rd state","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Kneller, Godfrey (Sir, Bart.)","id":"N2462"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This is a print of Sir Godfrey Kneller's self-portrait, made by his friend John Smith, who reproduced many of Kneller's portraits. It is this same print by Smith which features in Kneller's painting of his friend, seen alongside.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["E.1114-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"1114","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN8281","2019LU9976"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2008-12-23","availableToBook":false}}