Peter Monamy (English) (1681-1749)

He was born in London in 1681. In 1703 Willem Van de Velde the younger, the greatest Dutch marine painter of his age, who had longed lived and worked in London, died. His death left a considerable void in London for marine painting, which was only slightly filled by the ongoing work of his son Cornelius van de Velde who continued his father’s calling. It seems that the Monamy’s beginnings as a marine painter may be traced to Cornelius van de Velde’s studio, and, indeed, Vertue refers to him as painting “imitations of Van de Velde and other famous Dutch masters”. By the early 1720’s, though, Monamy was establishing a good reputation as the leading London marine painter, and the first native-born marine painter of this quality. Patronage came from numerous sources, not least from such Channel Islands naval families as the Durrels and the Saumarez’s. In 1726 he was elected a Liveryman of the Company of Painter-Stainers, to whom he presented the very large painting of the Royal Sovereign at anchor, a picture which still remains in their collection.

From the 1730’s until his death, Monamy was at the centre of London artistic life. He was a friend and companion of Hogarth, and collaborated with the celebrated younger artist. He painted some of the decoration at the glamorous new Vauxhall Gardens and was patronized by many of the leading families of the day. He was never particularly prosperous, however, and seems to have preferred to paint decorative pictures for the commercial galleries and dealers.

A BRITISH AND A RUSSIAN MAN O’WAR SALUTING WITH
A MERCHANT SHIP IN THE DISTANCE