A Portrait of an Admiral attributed to Sir William Beechey, R.A., circa 1795-1810

This extremely well done and attractive oil painting on canvas was originally sold through Christies, London on April 13, 1907 coming from thre Massey-Mainwaring Estate. No name was attributed to either the Admiral or to the painter. Later, an attribution to Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland was made. However, further reseach shows that Dance-Holland ended his painting career in 1783. The Admiral's uniform here dates to the late 18th or early 19th century, years after Sir Dance Holland retired. One very likely choice for the actual painter is Sir William Beechey (1753-1839) who was known to have painted dozens of naval officers during this period including one that closely resembles this painting. It too is unsigned and only gives a possible identity of the Admiral. In any event, this very handsome officer is framed in a period gilt wood frame measuring 39 1/2" by 31 1/2".