Portrait George II, King of Great Britain (1683-1760)

Portrait of George II, King of Great Britain. Born in Hanover, the son of George I is represented here as a half-figure to the right. He turned his head slightly to the left and looks towards the viewer. He wears a wig, a decorated, open coat, including a sash and vest. On his left shoulder you can weakly recognize the breast-star. His right hand presents a command staff. The oval framed image is framed with oak leaves and sword, fanfare, crown and feathers are recognized in the upper end. A large base under the portrait bears the five-line inscription on the front and a large, multicolored collection of various allegorical scenes and figures on the plate. On the far left, a figure in the garment with a feather behind his head tries to reach the base via a cartouche with books. In front of him is a putto with a staff in his hands, on which a hat dangles. In the middle of the pedestal is a crowned shield with coat of arms symbols guarded by a lion in front of it. The shield is flanked by two female beings. The left holds a mirror in the outstretched hand and an elongated instrument in the other. The right lady squatting on the lion, holding a sword in the elbow and pulling with the other hand at the curl of a small being with dark skin, dragging a sack of coins. The background is decorated by flags and a warship on the left. George II was king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1727 to 1760, German elector of Braunschweig-Lüneburg and nominally one of the dukes to Braunschweig and Lüneburg. On the occasion of his coronation Georg Friedrich Händel composed the four “Coronation Anthems” (HWV 258-261). The leaf is an etching. The portrait may have been performed as a puncture. The Stecher, Johannes Esaias Nilson, is at the same time the inventor of this motive. The accompanying ladies are personifications of prudence and prosperity. Other copies of the paper are at the Austrian National Library in Vienna, the Duke August Library in Wolfenbüttel, the State Graphic Collection in Munich, the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg and the British Museum in London. In addition, the Händel-Haus Foundation has a doublet: BS-III 290. Signature: Inventé et gravé par I. E. Nilson. Se vend à Augsbourg chez L “Auteur et à Paris chez Rosselin rue St. Jaques a l” hotel Saumur. Caption: GEORGIUS II// Magn: Brit: Franc: et Hibern:// Rex. /// Dux Brunsv: et Luneb. et Elector:// nat: d. 10. gbr: [?] 1682 (Händel-Haus Halle Foundation)