The Tapestry Hangings Of The House Of Lords: Representing the several Engagements Between the English and Spanish Fleets, In the ever memorable Year MDLXXXVIII, With the Portraits of the Lord High-Admiral, and the other Noble Commanders, taken from the Life. To which are added, From a Book entitled, Expeditionis Hispanorum in Angliam vera Descriptio, A.D. 1588, done, as is supposed, for the said Tapestry to be worked after, Ten Charts of the Sea-Coasts of England, And a General One of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Holland, &c. Shewing the Places of Action between the two Fleets; Ornamented with Medals struck upon that Occasion, And other suitable Devices. Also an Historical Account of each Day's Action, Collected from the most Authentic Manuscripts and Writers. By John Pine, Engraver.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
05/4401
Imprint
London,: MDCCXXXIX., Sold by J. Pine in Old Bond Street near Picadilly.
[Engr. t.pl., dedic.] - Subscribers - An Account Of The Spanish Invasion In the Year MDLXXXVIII; Errata - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
The engraved title-plate has no signatures. Plates [1-6] (maps) are signed as drawn by H. Gravelot; [7-16], as drawn by C. Lempriere. All are signed as engraved by J. Pine.
Each plate carries the publisher's imprint of John Pine and the date (June 24 1739).
The work is dedicated by John Pine to the King (George II).
References
ESTC, T145911
T. Clayton, The English print, 1688-1802 (1997).
; H. Hammelmann, Book-illustrators in eighteenth-century England , ed. T.S.R. Boase (1975).
Summary Note
The work records the ten large tapestries commemorating the British naval victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588; which were commissioned by the High Admiral Baron Howard of Effingham, designed by Hendrick Vroom, and woven by Frans Spiering in Delft between 1592 and 1595. They hung in the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster from 1650 to 1834, when they were destroyed by fire.
Plates [1-5] show two maps each; plate [6], one map. Plates [7-16] show the naval engagements. Each plate has an elaborate rococo border, in some cases incorporating portraits of commanders.
All plates except plate [6] have the central image printed in green ink and the border in black.
Some of Gravelot's original designs may be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Reproductions
An electronic reproduction was published in 2003 (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale). A microfilm copy was published in 2001 (Woodbridge, Conn.: Primary Source Microfilm [imprint of Gale Group]).
Provenance
Purchased for RA Library in 1871 (see 'Library Report for the Year 1871', RA Annual Report, Appendix No. 7, p. 28).
Copy Note
Page [24] carries a marginal note in pencil.
Binding Note
18th-century mottled calf, upper and lower covers decorated with gilt border; rebacked in 20th century, gilt-decorated spine, red morocco spine-label lettered 'Pine's Tapes'.
Spanish - British - Battles - Armada, 1588 - Navies - Naval ships - Great Britain - History - 16th century
Tapestries - Designs - Netherlands - Delft - Great Britain - London - Palace of Westminster - 16th century
Maps - Great Britain - 16th century - 18th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 18th century