Portrait of Peter I, Tsar of Russia
Date
1775
Sitter
Peter I, Tsar of Russia (1672 - 1725, Russian)
Creator
Unknown, Engraver
After
Etienne-Maurice Falconet (1716 - 1791, French) , Sculptor
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 170mm
width (print): 106mm
width (print): 106mm
Description
Equestrian portrait of Peter the Great, shown from behind, after a statue by Falconet. The Tsar looks and indicates to the right as viewed, where a city may be seen on the horizon (presumably St. Petersburg). Dressed informally, he appears to be riding barefooted, on a bear-skin saddle, with a loose shirt and cloak. A large rock formation lies in the path of Peter’s horse.
Plate from a grangerized copy of A history of the Royal Society, with memoirs of the Presidents…by Charles Richard Weld (London, John W. Parker, 1848). In this edition, the original two volumes were extended to eight volumes with the addition of extra-illustrations and documents, by Alexander Meyrick Broadley.
The print appears at p.257 in volume 3 of the adapted set of Weld’s History. Weld’s text refers to Peter the Great’s visit to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. The print appeared originally as an illustration for the article ‘An account of Peter the Great, Czar of Muscovy, and of a Statue erecting to his Memory by the reigning Empress (Illustrated with an engraving)’, in The London Magazine, or, Gentleman’s monthly intelligencer (1775), pp.420-422.
Inscribed above: ‘’Lon. Mag.’ and below: ‘PETER THE GREAT. Pubd. as the Act directs Septr. 1. 1775.’.
Peter I (1672-1725) Tsar of Russia, known as Peter the Great.
Plate from a grangerized copy of A history of the Royal Society, with memoirs of the Presidents…by Charles Richard Weld (London, John W. Parker, 1848). In this edition, the original two volumes were extended to eight volumes with the addition of extra-illustrations and documents, by Alexander Meyrick Broadley.
The print appears at p.257 in volume 3 of the adapted set of Weld’s History. Weld’s text refers to Peter the Great’s visit to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. The print appeared originally as an illustration for the article ‘An account of Peter the Great, Czar of Muscovy, and of a Statue erecting to his Memory by the reigning Empress (Illustrated with an engraving)’, in The London Magazine, or, Gentleman’s monthly intelligencer (1775), pp.420-422.
Inscribed above: ‘’Lon. Mag.’ and below: ‘PETER THE GREAT. Pubd. as the Act directs Septr. 1. 1775.’.
Peter I (1672-1725) Tsar of Russia, known as Peter the Great.
Object history
Print from Charles Richard Weld's 2 volume A history of the Royal Society... (London, John W. Parker, 1848) grangerized by the writer and collector Alexander Meyrick Broadley (1847–1916) into 8 volumes, adding illustrative material and manuscript items to Weld's text. The books were initially owned by Ludwig Mond FRS (1839–1909), and according to an inscription by his son Robert Ludwig Mond FRS (1867–1938) they were intended for presentation to the Society. This eventually happened in late 1959, the donor being the politician Harry Nathan (1889–1963), Lord Nathan of Churt.
Related fellows
Charles Richard Weld (1813 - 1869, British) , Author
Associated place