Captain Lord George Graham in his Cabin is a 1745 oil-on-canvas painting by the English artist William Hogarth. A conversational picture, it shows Captain Lord George Graham, of the Royal Navy, in the cabin of his ship with several people.
The painting was probably commissioned by Graham to commemorate a naval battle he had fought recently. While commanding a 24-gun sixth rate, he had been one of three British ships to attack a squadron of three powerful French privateers and their prizes. The British were successful in their engagement, capturing all of the prizes, and all but one of the privateers. Lauded for his achievements, Graham was given another, larger, ship to command. The painting is probably set aboard this new command, the 60-gun HMSNottingham, and shows Graham relaxing in the great cabin before a meal, smoking a pipe. With him are the ship's chaplain and clerk, who sing and listen to music played by a black servant. A steward brings a roast duck to the table. Two dogs are also present in the scene, one joins in the singing, the other wears a wig and reads a sheet of music.
The scene contains elements of satire and symbolism, in common with Hogarth's other works. The relaxed scene contrasts the tension of the naval battle it commemorates, with elements of humour including the officious pose and behaviour of one of the dogs, who apes Graham's official position. The steward looks out of the painting at the viewer with a smile, while obliviously tipping gravy down the chaplain's back. The positioning and depiction of Graham and the black servant invite comparisons, with Hogarth's presentation of black subjects in paintings being studied by later academics. Hogarth drew from his own experience in group portraits, and was probably influenced by an earlier cabin work by Bartolomeo Nazari. Graham's enjoyment of the painting was short-lived, he died in 1747. His family kept the portrait in their collections until 1932, when it was sold to Sir James Caird, who subsequently donated it to the National Maritime Museum, where it remains.
Background
Lord George Graham was a younger son of James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose, and had entered the Royal Navy at a young age.[1][2] He served with some distinction during the wars of the early eighteenth century, and also entered politics, sitting as member of parliament through his father's interest. He was appointed to command the 24-gun HMSBridgewater in 1745 and cruised in the English Channel.[3] While cruising in the Channel off Ostend on 2 July, in company with the 24-gun HMSSheerness under Captain William Gordon, and the armed vessel Ursula under Lieutenant Fergusson, Graham came across three large privateers from Dunkirk, sailing in company with their captured prize vessels.[4] The French privateers were the 28-gun Royal, 26-gun Duchesse de Penthierre, and a 12-gun dogger.[3] They had captured seven prizes, and were taking them into Dunkirk. The British force attacked them early in the morning of 3 July. After a fierce fight lasting until 4.am, four of the prizes surrendered to the Sheerness, the Royal and Duchesse de Penthierrestruck their colours to the Bridgewater, and the Ursula captured the remaining three prizes. The dogger managed to escape.[4]
The subject of the portrait, Captain Lord George Graham, leans against the table, holding a pipe
For his success in the engagement, Graham was commended to the First Lord of the Admiralty, John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford, and was given command of a larger ship, the 60-gun HMSNottingham.[2][4] He probably commissioned a portrait from Hogarth at about this time, and the resulting painting is believed to be set aboard Graham's new command, which in late 1745 was on the Downs station.[5][6]
Positioning
A 1745 self-portrait by Hogarth, including his pug dog Trump, who represents his master in the portrait
Graham is seated to the right of the picture, on the left of the table that divides the picture. He is seen in full length, facing forwards though looking to the side, while smoking a long pipe. Standing to Graham's right, his lower half obscured by the table cloth, a man holds a sheet of music and is in the act of singing. The third member of the dining party is seated on the left of the painting, and like Graham is visible in full length. Ronald Paulson identifies them as the ship's clerk and chaplain.[7] The music the men are listening or singing along to is provided by a black manservant, standing on the right of the painting and playing a pipe and tabor. A steward stands opposite him on the left of the painting, framing the composition. The steward holds a plate of roast duck, but looks out of the painting towards the viewer with a smile, while gravy drips from the plate down the back of the chaplain's coat.[8] The remaining members of the portrait are two dogs. One is Graham's own, sitting at the chaplain's feet and apparently joining in the singing. The other, sat on his haunches on a chair on the right of the painting, is Hogarth's own pug, Trump. Trump, his tongue lolling out and wearing Graham's wig, holds a scroll and appears to read from his own sheet of music, balanced against a wine glass in front of him.[8]
Clothing
The men are well dressed, Graham smokes a pipe while wearing a fur-lined red velvet cape and a green velvet cap which is slightly askew.[6][8] The grey coat he wears with a white neckerchief is opened at the chest, revealing a gold-brocade waistcoat, his lower half is clothed in breeches, stockings and slippers.[5] The chaplain wears a black coat with a white collar, grey stockings and black shoes with gold buckles, the costume of a social inferior to Graham, but indicating his educated status.[5] The clerk's dress is similarly simple, a brown jacket, bluish-green waistcoat and white collar, while the steward wears a white apron, smock and cap with a black collar, and brown trousers. The black servant's dress is richer, a white cap and pink neckerchief, and a green buttoned velvet coat with a yellow waistcoat. Trump wears Graham's wig.[5] The colours of the painting are mostly of cool greys, blues and reds, with the brown of some of the clothes and the wooden pilaster panelling, and the lighter blue through the window on the left of the painting.[8]
Imagery and symbolism
The black servant on the right of the painting plays a pipe and tabor. Below, Hogarth's pug dog Trump balances on a chair while wearing Graham's wig.
Hogarth included numerous elements in the painting. The scene is probably the great cabin of Graham's latest command, and the sails of ships are visible through the line of windows on the left of the painting.[6] The furniture and objects are luxurious and the room is richly panelled and decorated.[9] The chaplain holds a ledger and at his feet is a large famille-rosepunch bowl, the punch bowl being an invitation to the viewer to join the levity at the table.[6] He is separated from Graham across the table by a salt-cellar, possibly symbolising their social difference.[5] His presence at the captain's table for this informal occasion nevertheless indicates that he is a privileged member of Graham's entourage.[10]
The clerk, standing in the centre of the portrait and uniting the two-halves, holds the music he is singing from, possibly entitled 'Farewell my Judy'. Jeremy Barlow speculates that this might be a sentimental love song.[11] The two servants frame the picture, the black servant playing a pipe and tabor. The combination of these musical instruments had a popular accompaniment to dancing for several centuries, but was in decline in England by the eighteenth century.[12] Barlow considers Hogarth's representation of the tabor pipe a poor one, arguing that it is too short and has too many holes to be the usual three-holed tabor pipe, the boy holds it too far up its length and does not cover all the holes. Barlow points out that Hogarth may have intended the instrument to be a flabiol instead.[12] He also notes that the lively music the instruments would have produced would be unlikely to complement a sentimental ballad that the clerk appears to be singing, and instead suggests the painting combines and conflates a number of typical activities in the cabin into one scene.[13]
The dogs join the people, their inclusion with the servants in the portrait invites commentary on Graham's circle. Trump's officious pose and lolling tongue, while wearing Graham's wig and brandishing the scroll of paper, makes light of the formality of Graham's position. Trump represents Hogarth in the painting, while his pose with the scroll, as used by musical conductors of the time, suggest that he may be the humorous conductor for the music and singing taking place.[5][11] The steward stands at the left of the painting under a hanging crown compass, and carelessly drips gravy down the chaplain's neck, adding a final element of farce to the setting. In the relaxed and informal setting of the cabin, adding touches of humour and foolishness, Hogarth provides a contrast with the dangers of the pitched battle that the painting commemorates.[6][8]
The black servant in the painting reveals Hogarth's careful study of black and white forms. His positioning, clothes and stance echoes Graham's with his pipe, but they face different directions so as to present different profiles.[5][14] The red of Graham's cape connects with the colour of the servant's neckcloth, while their similar caps, coats and waistcoats heighten the sense of connection, with the servant given equally colourful and variegated clothing.[14] The facial features and textures are similar, showing off their youthfulness, while Graham's fair skin and the servant's dark skin complement and contrast each other. Hogarth has also varied the appearance of the dark skin to show that the colour is not uniform, but changes in the light.[14] Art historian David Bindman argued that Hogarth's representation of the servant avoided the traditional stereotypes of black people in art.[15]
It is unknown whether the idea for the setting came from Graham or Hogarth, though Hogarth had already produced a similarly composed conversational piece for John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey, entitled Lord Hervey and His Friends.[8] Hogarth reworked the concept for a naval setting, though he probably also drew inspiration from a 1732 painting by Bartolomeo Nazari. Nazari produced a similar cabin scene showing Lord Boyne and his companions during a voyage to Lisbon from Venice. A number of elements, such as the hanging compass, punch bowl, and the presence of animals, were included in Hogarth's work. Nazari's work had been popular, resulting in a large number of copies, and Hogarth knew Boyne, having painted his portrait.[5]
Ownership
Graham did not enjoy his portrait for long, dying on 2 January 1747.[2] The painting remained in the collections of the Dukes of Montrose and was exhibited on a number of occasions; at Glasgow in 1888, the Royal Naval College in 1891 and at the Royal Academy in 1934.[16] It was purchased by Sir James Caird in 1932, and was a particular favourite of his.[17] It was later presented to the National Maritime Museum, where it remains today.[5] Cabin scenes are rare in oil painting, and the museum considers this to be the most famous example in British art.[5]
↑ Littlewood and Butler. Of Ships and Stars. p.66.
Related Research Articles
William Hogarth was an English painter, engraver, pictorial satirist, social critic, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects", and he is perhaps best known for his series A Harlot's Progress, A Rake's Progress and Marriage A-la-Mode. Knowledge of his work is so pervasive that satirical political illustrations in this style are often referred to as "Hogarthian".
A Rake's Progress is a series of eight paintings by 18th-century English artist William Hogarth. The canvases were produced in 1732–1734, then engraved in 1734 and published in print form in 1735. The series shows the decline and fall of Tom Rakewell, the spendthrift son and heir of a rich merchant, who comes to London, wastes all his money on luxurious living, prostitution and gambling, and as a consequence is imprisoned in the Fleet Prison and ultimately Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam). The original paintings are in the collection of Sir John Soane's Museum in London, where they are normally on display for a short period each day.
A Harlot's Progress is a series of six paintings and engravings (1732) by the English artist William Hogarth. The series shows the story of a young woman, M. Hackabout, who arrives in London from the country and becomes a prostitute. The series was developed from the third image. After painting a prostitute in her boudoir in a garret on Drury Lane, Hogarth struck upon the idea of creating scenes from her earlier and later life. The title and allegory are reminiscent of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.
The Tête à Tête is the second canvas in the series of six satirical paintings known as Marriage A-la-Mode, painted by William Hogarth.
Four Times of the Day is a series of four oil paintings by English artist William Hogarth. They were completed in 1736 and in 1738 were reproduced and published as a series of four engravings. They are humorous depictions of life in the streets of London, the vagaries of fashion, and the interactions between the rich and poor. Unlike many of Hogarth's other series, such as A Harlot's Progress, A Rake's Progress, Industry and Idleness, and The Four Stages of Cruelty, it does not depict the story of an individual, but instead focuses on the society of the city in a humorous manner. Hogarth does not offer a judgment on whether the rich or poor are more deserving of the viewer's sympathies. In each scene, while the upper and middle classes tend to provide the focus, there are fewer moral comparisons than seen in some of his other works. Their dimensions are about 74 cm (29 in) by 61 cm (24 in) each.
The Marriage Settlement is the first in the series of six satirical paintings known as Marriage A-la-Mode painted by William Hogarth, named after the historical legal arrangement of a Marriage settlement.
The Serjeant Painter was an honourable and lucrative position as court painter with the English monarch. It carried with it the prerogative of painting and gilding all of the King's residences, coaches, banners, etc. and it grossed over £1,000 in a good year by the 18th century. The work itself involved painting the palaces, coaches, royal barges, and all sorts of decorations for festivities, which often had to be designed as well. The actual involvement of the serjeant painters in this gradually declined. The post itself fell out of use in the 18th century, after a period when "fine art" painters were appointed, and expected to supervise rather than execute decorative painting, for a good salary.
The Bench is the title of both a 1758 oil-on-canvas painting by the English artist William Hogarth, and a print issued by him in the same year. Unlike many of Hogarth's engravings produced from painted originals, the print differs considerably from the painting. It was intended as a demonstration of the differences between character painting, caricature and outré—developing on the theme he had begun to address in Characters and Caricaturas —but Hogarth was unhappy with the result as it showed only "characters", and he continued to work on the piece until his death.
The Enraged Musician is a 1741 etching and engraving by English artist William Hogarth which depicts a comic scene of a violinist driven to distraction by the cacophony outside his window. It was issued as companion piece to the third state of his print of The Distrest Poet.
The Distrest Poet is an oil painting produced sometime around 1736 by the British artist William Hogarth. Reproduced as an etching and engraving, it was published in 1741 from a third state plate produced in 1740. The scene was probably inspired by Alexander Pope's satirical poem The Dunciad. It depicts a scene in a small, dingy attic room where a poet sits at his desk in the dormer and, scratching his head, stares at the papers on the desk before him, evidently looking for inspiration to complete the poem he is writing. Near him sits his wife darning clothes, surprised by the entrance of a milkmaid, who impatiently demands payment of debts.
Beer Street and Gin Lane are two prints issued in 1751 by English artist William Hogarth in support of what would become the Gin Act. Designed to be viewed alongside each other, they depict the evils of the consumption of gin as a contrast to the merits of drinking beer. At almost the same time and on the same subject, Hogarth's friend Henry Fielding published An Inquiry into the Late Increase in Robbers. Issued together with The Four Stages of Cruelty, the prints continued a movement started in Industry and Idleness, away from depicting the laughable foibles of fashionable society and towards a more cutting satire on the problems of poverty and crime.
Hogarth Painting the Comic Muse is a painting in the National Portrait Gallery, London by the British artist William Hogarth. It was painted in approximately 1757 and published as a print in etching and engraving in 1758, with its final and sixth state in 1764. Hogarth used this particular self-portrait as the frontispiece of his collected engravings, published in 1764.
Taste in High Life is an oil-on-canvas painting from around 1742, by William Hogarth. The version seen on the right was engraved by Samuel Phillips in 1798, under commission from John Boydell for a posthumous edition of Hogarth's works, but Phillips's final, third state was not published until 1808.
Heads of Six of Hogarth's Servants is an oil-on-canvas painting by William Hogarth from c. 1750-5. Measuring 63 centimetres (25 in) high and 75.5 centimetres (29.7 in) wide, it depicts the heads of six of his domestic servants. It is held by in Tate Britain in London.
Lord George Graham was a Scottish officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession. He embarked on a political career, and was a Member of Parliament.
The Portrait of Winston Churchill was a painting by English artist Graham Sutherland that depicted the British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, created in 1954. It was disliked by Churchill and eventually destroyed shortly after.
The Graham Children is an oil painting completed by William Hogarth in 1742. It is a group portrait depicting the four children of Daniel Graham, apothecary to King George II. The youngest child had died by the time the painting was completed.
Trump was a pug owned by English painter William Hogarth. He included the dog in several works, including his 1745 self-portrait Painter and his Pug, held by the Tate Gallery. In the words of the Tate's display caption, "Hogarth's pug dog, Trump, serves as an emblem of the artist's own pugnacious character."
Lord Ribblesdale, sometimes known as The Ancestor, is a portrait in oils on canvas by John Singer Sargent of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale, completed in 1902. The full-length portrait depicts Lord Ribblesdale in his hunting clothes. It measures 258.4 cm × 143.5 cm and has been held by the National Gallery in London since 1916.
R. Sedgewick, ed. (1970). "Graham, Lord George (1715–47)". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715–1754. Vol.3. Boydell and Brewer.
Barlow, Jeremy (2005). The Enraged Musician: Hogarth's Musical Imagery. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN9781840146158.
Blake, Richard (2008). Evangelicals in the Royal Navy, 1775–1815: Blue Lights & Psalm-Singers. Boydell Press. ISBN9781843833598.
Charnock, John (1797). Biographia Navalis; Or, Impartial Memoirs of the Lives and Characters of Officers of the Navy of Great Britain: From the Year 1660 to the Present Time; Drawn from the Most Authentic Sources, and Disposed in a Chronological Arrangement. Vol.5. R. Faulder.
Dabydeen, David (1985). Hogarth's Blacks: Images of Blacks in Eighteenth Century English Art. Manchester University Press. ISBN9780719023170.
Evans, Nancy Goyne (2006). Windsor-Chair Making in America: From Craft Shop to Consumer. UPNE. ISBN9781584654933.
Gollannek, Eric Frederick (2008). "Empire Follows Art": Exchange and the Sensory Worlds of Empire in Britain and Its Colonies, 1740—1775. ISBN9780549812005.
Littlewood, Kevin; Butler, Beverley (1998). Of Ships and Stars: Maritime Heritage and the Founding of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN9780485121469.
Manson, David; Leighton, Mike; Lowe, Lara. Hogarth. Taylor & Francis.
Wagner, Peter (2009). "Hogarth and the Other". In Meyer, Michael (ed.). Word & Image in Colonial and Postcolonial Literatures and Cultures. Vol.116. Rodopi. pp.21–46. ISBN9789042027435.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
