Lord William Blakeney (1692–1761)

oval portrait based on print by James McArdell Irish
oval portrait after George Chalmers British

Not on view

As Lieutenant Governor of Menorca, William Blakeney was celebrated for his defense of the island during the Seven Years’ War. The portrait on this plaque is based on a 1756 mezzotint by James McArdell, after a 1755 painting by George Chalmers. Diogenes, an Ancient Greek philosopher identifiable by the lamp he holds, supports the portrait’s frame. Popularly thought to have carried his lamp in broad daylight in search of an honest man, Diogenes’ quest appears to have concluded as he gestures approvingly towards Blakeney’s likeness.


Enameled objects like this one were intended to imitate the lustrous quality of porcelain at more affordable prices. By the middle of the eighteenth century, technological innovations had made it possible to roll copper, instead of the far costlier gold, into very thin sheets. Powdered glass mixed with minerals (to determine the opacity and color of the enamel) would then be applied onto the copper sheets and fired at high temperatures. A design—whether a famous portrait, generic pastoral scene, or floral motif— could be painted on by hand or copied from an engraving through the newly invented process of transfer printing. Many enameled objects combined both methods of decoration and would be refired after the application of each new layer or color.

Lord William Blakeney (1692–1761), oval portrait based on print by James McArdell (Irish, Dublin 1729–1765 London), Enamel on copper, British, possibly South Staffordshire

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