Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)Ireland, John
General
Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)
Ireland, John
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764
In addition to the high and sounding title of Counsellor and Honorary
Member of the Imperial Academy at Augsburg, conferred upon Hogarth
in the German diploma, he was, on the 6th of June 1757, still
further dignified by being appointed Serjeant Painter to the King
of Great Britain, and entered on the duties of his office on the
16th of the following July. On the demise of George the Second, his
post necessarily became vacant; his present Majesty's warrant for
reinstating him is in my possession. I have annexed a copy, which
shows that the salary was ten pounds per annum, payable quarterly.
In one of his manuscripts I find the following memorandum of the
interest by which he obtained the place, and its annual profits:--
"Having, just after my brother's death, obtained, by means of my
friend Mr. Manning and the Duke of Devonshire, which might not have
exceeded one hundred a year to me for trouble and attendance; but by
two portraits at more than eighty pounds each, the last occasioned
by his present Majesty's accession, and some other things, it has
for these last five years been, one way or other, worth two hundred
pounds per annum."
Who these portraits were, or for whom they were painted, I know not.
By his manner of expressing himself, I should suppose that they were
royal, and, as is customary, presented to some of the ambassadors, in
which case they were probably sent to the Continent.
"GEORGE R.
"Whereas the King, our late royal grandfather, of glorious and
happy memory, by his letters patent, under his Great Seal of
Great Britain, and bearing date the sixth day of June, in the
thirtieth year of his reign, did grant unto William Hogarth,
Esq., the office of Serjeant Painter of all his said late
Majesty's works, as well belonging to his royal palaces or houses
as to his great wardrobe, or otherwise to hold the said office to
the said William Hogarth during his said late Majesty's pleasure:
And by the force of a statute made in the sixth year of the reign
of Queen Anne, the said William Hogarth did continue in the said
office for the space of six months, computed next after the
demise of his said late Majesty, and he the said William Hogarth
still continues therein, by or under our royal proclamation, in
such behalf issued: AND WHEREAS our gracious intentions are to
re-grant the said office to the said William Hogarth, our will
and pleasure is, that you forthwith prepare a Bill for our royal
signature, to pass our Great Seal of Great Britain, to revoke
and determine the said recited letters patent of our said late
royal grandfather, and to remove and discharge the said William
Hogarth from the office whereunto he was thereby appointed; and
to contain our grant unto our trusty and well-beloved, the said
William Hogarth, of the office of Serjeant Painter of all our
works, as well belonging to all our royal palaces or houses as to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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