Artwork
John, Lord Carteret
John, Lord Carteret is an ink print by the Baroque artist Peter Pelham. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: G. Kneller Bart. pinx.; lower right in plate: P. Pelham fecit; lower center in plate: His Excellency John Ld. Carteret / Baron of Hames, Ld. Lieutenant & Govr. / Genl. of ye Kingdom of Ireland &c. / London, Sold by J. Bowles in Mercers Hall Cheapside; along lower edge of verso in graphite by unknown hand: 315 x 249 / 352 x 249 pi / C.S. 5ii/ii / P43815; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: P43815
About this work
Overview
Peter Pelham’s mezzotint of John, Lord Carteret dates from around 1720. Executed on laid paper, the print presents a solitary figure in a darkened setting, allowing the subject’s features and attire to dominate the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts the English nobleman John Carteret, later known as Lord Carteret, with curly hair and a solemn expression. He is dressed in a striped robe of brown and white, accented by a white scarf and a broad collar that frames his face, conveying a sense of gravitas appropriate to his status.
Technique & Style
Pelham employs the mezzotint process, exploiting its capacity for rich tonal gradations to model light and shadow. The dark background and careful use of chiaroscuro create depth, while the fine rendering of the fabric’s stripes and the subject’s curls exemplify the Baroque emphasis on texture and three‑dimensionality.
History & Provenance
Created in the early eighteenth century, the print reflects Pelham’s activity as a leading English mezzotinter of the period. It has been catalogued among his portrait series and remains in museum collections that document the development of British printmaking during the Baroque era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
