Copley, John Singleton "The Most Noble Charles Marquiss Cornwallis, &c. &c.."

John Singleton Copley (1738-1815).  “The Most Noble Charles Marquiss Cornwallis, &c. &c..” 

London: J. & J. Boydell, 1 Sept 1798.  Stipple engraving by Benjamin Smith.  16 3/8 x 13 1/4.  Strong impression.  Trimmed to within platemarks with image and text complete and good margins.  Very good condition.  

Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) is best known in America as the British general who surrendered to the Americans at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781, to end the hostile phase of the American Revolution.  Like many Englishmen, he had opposed the stamp act and resented the manner in which the North administration mishandled the American War.  He did, however, volunteer to serve in America once the war began, and he served well under Howe in New England in 1776 and in the Brandywine campaign of 1777.  While second in command under Clinton, he urged and then led the campaign in the Carolinas which was a hard fought series of Pyrrhic victories that ended in defeat at Yorktown.  He returned to pursue minor political positions until he began a second military career in India as viceroy and commanding officer from 1786-93.  He distinguished himself militarily as well as in governmental restructuring, and, at this time, John Singleton Copley painted his portrait showing scenes from India in the background. In the year that this print was made, Cornwallis was embarking to Ireland where he would be lord lieutenant and commanding officer, and eventually he returned for a shortened career in India.  Alan Valentine, in his The British Establishment, 1760-1784, described him as, “though not a brilliant man, he was an able officer and a well-meaning and relatively honest statesman.” (p. 207).  This fine and noble portrait is commensurate with the man’s position at that time.