This mezzotint engraving by Valentine Green commemorates four of Britain’s most celebrated naval commanders of the late 18th century, presenting their portraits in an elaborate composition that underscores their pivotal roles in Britain’s naval dominance. The four bust-length portraits, arranged in oval frames and adorned with decorative elements such as palm fronds, oak branches, and draped fabric, depict (clockwise from top left):
- Richard, Earl Howe, KG (1726–1799) – Admiral of the Fleet, celebrated for his victory at the Battle of Ushant on June 1, 1794 ("The Glorious First of June"). Howe wears full-dress uniform (1795–1812) with the ribbon and star of the Order of the Garter, although incorrectly placed over his right shoulder. The portrait is based on Gainsborough Dupont’s 1794 full-length painting housed at Trinity House, London.
- John, Earl of St Vincent, KB (1752–1820) – Admiral of the Blue, honored for his triumph at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on February 14, 1797. His portrait, based on Francis Cotes’s 1769 painting, depicts him in updated uniform with the ribbon and star of the Order of the Bath.
- Adam, Viscount Duncan (1731–1804) – Admiral of the Blue, victorious at the Battle of Camperdown on October 11, 1797. Duncan is depicted in full-dress uniform with the ribbon of the Russian Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky. His portrait is derived from a miniature by Richard Morton Paye.
- Horatio, Baron Nelson, KB (1758–1805) – Rear Admiral of the Blue, immortalized for his leadership at the Battle of the Nile on August 1, 1798. Nelson wears rear-admiral’s undress uniform with the ribbon and star of the Order of the Bath, and his empty right sleeve is pinned across his chest. The portrait is based on Lemuel Francis Abbott’s 1797 painting, owned by Nelson’s former commander William Locker, Lieutenant Governor of Greenwich Hospital.
The drapery surrounding each portrait is inscribed with the dates and locations of the admirals’ notable victories, while fictive stone tablets below each figure provide biographical details and credit the original artists of the portraits.
This print exemplifies the late Georgian era's reverence for naval heroes and reflects the patriotic fervor following Britain’s victories during the French Revolutionary Wars. It is also a masterful example of Valentine Green’s mezzotint technique. Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1799, the print received contemporary criticism for being a commercial work, yet it remains a significant piece of naval and visual history.
Lettering
The print is titled The British Naval Victors and is dedicated to King George III:
"To the King (by his Most gracious permission) this Plate is most humbly Dedicated by his Majesty’s devoted and most dutiful Subject and Servant, Valentine Green."
The production details and publication line read:
"Engraved by V. Green, Mezzotinto Engraver to his Majesty & the Elector Palatine. Published & Sold by V. Green No.21 New Road, Opposite Fitzroy Square, London, Feby, 11th 1799. Sold also by R. Green No. 12 Berners Street, Oxford Street."