Peter MONAMY (1681-1749, English)

Peter MONAMY (1681-1749, English)

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oil on canvas

Price: Sold

Peter Monamy was born in London to a merchant family. He was apprenticed to a house painter (a 'painter-stainer') and may well have taken over the business on the death of his master. By the early 1720s, Monamy had become an established studio painter based in Westminster.

He specialized in marine works and made numerous trips to observe vessels at sea and at anchor. His career coincided with a period of rapid growth in British naval power, and his work responded quickly to significant seafaring events, with Monamy painting several versions of Admiral Vernon's 1740 capture of Porto Bello, for example, one of which was singled out for attention by the Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta at a public display.

Monamy's accurate depiction of technical shipping details, including rigging and sails, and his attention to the weather made his work admired and sought after in naval circles. His paintings were reproduced widely, during his lifetime and well into the nineteenth century.