Flagmen of Lowestoft
Encyclopedia
The Flagmen of Lowestoft are a collection of thirteen paintings by Sir Peter Lely
, painted in the mid 1660s. They were originally part of the Royal Collection
s, though most were gifted to Greenwich Hospital in the nineteenth century, and are now in the care of the National Maritime Museum
. The paintings are of prominent naval officers, most of them of flag rank, who had fought at the Battle of Lowestoft
in 1665. Lely at the time was Principal Painter
to King Charles II
.
, brother of King Charles II, in late 1665. James had commanded the English fleet against the Dutch
at the Battle of Lowestoft on 13 June 1665, and the portraits were intended to commemorate those who had served under him as junior flag officers and captains of some of the ships. Lely, Principal Painter to King Charles II, was working on the series known as the 'Windsor Beauties
' at the time for James's wife, Anne Hyde, Duchess of York
. The full set consists of thirteen portraits of admirals and senior officers, or 'Flaggmen' as they were known at the time.
Diarist and naval administrator Samuel Pepys
visited Lely's studio on 18 April 1666, writing
, Sir Jeremiah Smith and Sir William Penn, had yet to be started. The absence of Lawson's portrait in Pepys's list may indicate that this was a later addition to the original commission, Lawson having died on 25 June 1665 of a wound he received in the battle. Since Lawson was already dead and the portrait had not been begun by 1666, it was possibly a posthumous addition to the set. In order to create unity and emphasize the portraits as being part of a group, Lely painted them in an identical format, all three-quarter length, and on canvases measuring roughly 50 inches (127 cm) by 40 inches (101.6 cm).
assessed the series and declared that 'In such works Lely's splendid prose borders upon the poetry of the great masters'. Brandon Henderson wrote
'Kit-Cat' portraits, 42 portraits of members of the Kit-Cat Club
, painted between 1697 and 1721, albeit half-length and on a different size of canvas, later known as the Kit-cat
.
donated 31 paintings with naval connections to Greenwich Hospital, in support of the hospital's director, Edward Hawke Locker
, who aimed to establish a naval gallery. Eleven of the flagmen portraits were included in the donation. The exceptions were the portraits of Admiral Sir John Lawson
and Prince Rupert
, which were retained in the Royal Collections. A copy of Lawson's portrait was instead presented in lieu of the original. George's successor, King William IV
, presented an extended full-length copy of the Prince Rupert portrait to the Hospital in 1835. The portraits are now held by the successor of Greenwich Hospital, the National Maritime Museum.
Peter Lely
Sir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin, whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.-Life:...
, painted in the mid 1660s. They were originally part of the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
s, though most were gifted to Greenwich Hospital in the nineteenth century, and are now in the care of the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
. The paintings are of prominent naval officers, most of them of flag rank, who had fought at the Battle of Lowestoft
Battle of Lowestoft
The naval Battle of Lowestoft took place on 13 June 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size commanded by James Stuart, Duke of York forty...
in 1665. Lely at the time was Principal Painter
Principal Painter in Ordinary
The title of Principal Painter in Ordinary to the King or Queen of England or, later, Great Britain, was awarded to a number of artists, nearly all mainly portraitists. It was different to the role of Serjeant Painter, and similar to the earlier role of "King's Painter"...
to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
Creation
The paintings were commissioned from Lely by James, Duke of YorkJames II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, brother of King Charles II, in late 1665. James had commanded the English fleet against the Dutch
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
at the Battle of Lowestoft on 13 June 1665, and the portraits were intended to commemorate those who had served under him as junior flag officers and captains of some of the ships. Lely, Principal Painter to King Charles II, was working on the series known as the 'Windsor Beauties
Windsor Beauties
The Windsor beauties are a famous collection of paintings by Sir Peter Lely, painted in the early to mid 1660s.They were originally housed in the Queen's bedchamber in Windsor Castle...
' at the time for James's wife, Anne Hyde, Duchess of York
Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde was the first wife of James, Duke of York , and the mother of two monarchs, Mary II of England and Scotland and Anne of Great Britain....
. The full set consists of thirteen portraits of admirals and senior officers, or 'Flaggmen' as they were known at the time.
Diarist and naval administrator Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
visited Lely's studio on 18 April 1666, writing
I to Mr. Lilly's , the painter; and there saw the heads, some finished and all begun, of the Flaggmen in the late great fight with the Duke of Yorke against the Dutch. The Duke of Yorke hath them done to hang in his chamber, and very finely they are done indeed.He noted that work had begun on all but three portraits, those of the Earl of Sandwich
Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich
Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, KG was an English Infantry officer who later became a naval officer. He was the only surviving son of Sir Sidney Montagu, and was brought up at Hinchingbrooke House....
, Sir Jeremiah Smith and Sir William Penn, had yet to be started. The absence of Lawson's portrait in Pepys's list may indicate that this was a later addition to the original commission, Lawson having died on 25 June 1665 of a wound he received in the battle. Since Lawson was already dead and the portrait had not been begun by 1666, it was possibly a posthumous addition to the set. In order to create unity and emphasize the portraits as being part of a group, Lely painted them in an identical format, all three-quarter length, and on canvases measuring roughly 50 inches (127 cm) by 40 inches (101.6 cm).
Appraisal
Art historian Ellis WaterhouseEllis Waterhouse
Sir Ellis Kirkham Waterhouse was an English art historian specialized in Roman baroque and English painting...
assessed the series and declared that 'In such works Lely's splendid prose borders upon the poetry of the great masters'. Brandon Henderson wrote
Strength, depth of character, and psychological interest characterize these portraits, in which Lely brings forth honest and direct likenesses, dramatic gestures, serious-mindedness, dignity and pride. Each portrait in the series is remarkably individual, with fresh and varied poses, costume, attributes and experiences.Lely's series acted as a 'precedent and a paradigm' for Sir Godfrey Kneller's
Godfrey Kneller
Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to British monarchs from Charles II to George I...
'Kit-Cat' portraits, 42 portraits of members of the Kit-Cat Club
Kit-Cat Club
The Kit-Cat Club was an early 18th century English club in London with strong political and literary associations, committed to the furtherance of Whig objectives, meeting at the Trumpet tavern in London, and at Water Oakley in the Berkshire countryside.The first meetings were held at a tavern in...
, painted between 1697 and 1721, albeit half-length and on a different size of canvas, later known as the Kit-cat
Kit-cat portrait
A kit-cat portrait or kit-kat portrait is a particular size of portrait, less than half-length, but including the hands. The name originates from a series of portraits which were commissioned from Godfrey Kneller for members of the Kit-Cat Club, to be hung in their meeting place at Barn Elms...
.
Donation
Thirteen individual portraits were created for the Royal Collections. In 1824 King George IVGeorge IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
donated 31 paintings with naval connections to Greenwich Hospital, in support of the hospital's director, Edward Hawke Locker
Edward Hawke Locker
Edward Hawke Locker was an English watercolourist and administrator of the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich.-Life:...
, who aimed to establish a naval gallery. Eleven of the flagmen portraits were included in the donation. The exceptions were the portraits of Admiral Sir John Lawson
John Lawson (Naval officer)
Sir John Lawson was an English Naval Officer and Republican.Lawson was in command of ships in the parliament's service during and after the English Civil War, 1642-6, 1651-3, 1654-6. He was dismissed from the public service, apparently on political grounds in 1656...
and Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
, which were retained in the Royal Collections. A copy of Lawson's portrait was instead presented in lieu of the original. George's successor, King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, presented an extended full-length copy of the Prince Rupert portrait to the Hospital in 1835. The portraits are now held by the successor of Greenwich Hospital, the National Maritime Museum.
Portraits
| Name | Life | Dimensions | Position | Year | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:... |
(1608–1670) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Deputy Lord High Admiral Lord High Admiral Lord High Admiral can refer to:* Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom * Lord High Admiral of Scotland* Lord High Admiral of the Wash* Lord High Admiral of Sweden-See also:... to James, Duke of York |
1665-66 | |
| Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service in the English Civil War, and the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars... |
(1612–1685) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Vice-Admiral in the centre division of the red squadron | 1665 |  |
| Sir George Ayscue George Ayscue Admiral Sir George Ayscue was an English naval officer who served in the Civil War and the Anglo-Dutch Wars.In 1648, during the Civil War, while serving as a captain in the navy of the English Parliament, he prevented the fleet from defecting to the Royalists, and was promoted to General at Sea... |
(c. 1615–1672) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Vice-Admiral in the rear division of the blue squadron | 1665-66 | |
| Sir William Berkeley William Berkeley (Royal Navy officer) The Hon. Sir William Berkeley was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, rising to the rank of vice-admiral.... |
(1639–1666) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Rear-Admiral in the rear division of the red squadron | 1665-66 | |
| Sir John Harman | (d. 1673) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Flag captain Flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's... to James, Duke of York aboard |
1666 | |
| Sir Joseph Jordan Joseph Jordan Sir Joseph Jordan was a naval officer and admiral. From a Thames shipowning family, he is initially recorded as importing tobacco from Nevis and Barbados aboard the Amity.... |
(1603/4–1685) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Rear-Admiral in the van division of the red squadron | 1666 | |
| Sir John Lawson John Lawson (Naval officer) Sir John Lawson was an English Naval Officer and Republican.Lawson was in command of ships in the parliament's service during and after the English Civil War, 1642-6, 1651-3, 1654-6. He was dismissed from the public service, apparently on political grounds in 1656... |
(c.1615–1665) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Vice-Admiral in the van division of the red squadron | ||
| Sir Christopher Myngs Christopher Myngs Sir Christopher Myngs , English admiral and pirate, came of a Norfolk family and was a relative of another admiral, Sir Cloudesley Shovell. Pepys' story of his humble birth, in explanation of his popularity, is said to be erroneous. His name is often given as Mings.The date of Myngs's birth is... |
(c.1625–1666) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Vice-Admiral in the van division of the white squadron | 1665-66 | |
| Sir William Penn | (1621–1670) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Captain of the Fleet Captain of the fleet In the Royal Navy of the 18th and 19th centuries a Captain of the Fleet could be appointed to assist an admiral when the admiral had ten or more ships to command.... to James, Duke of York aboard |
1665-66 | |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine Prince Rupert of the Rhine Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century... |
(1619–1682) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Admiral of the White squadron | 1665-66 | |
| Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, KG was an English Infantry officer who later became a naval officer. He was the only surviving son of Sir Sidney Montagu, and was brought up at Hinchingbrooke House.... |
(1625–1672) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Admiral of the Blue squadron | 1666 | |
| Sir Jeremiah Smith | (d. 1675) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Commander of in the centre division of the red squadron | 1666 | |
| Sir Thomas Teddeman | (c.1620–1668) | 127 x 101.5 cm | Rear-Admiral in the rear division of the blue squadron | 1666 | |