[PORTER (Sir Robert Ker)].
Letters from Portugal and Spain, written during the March of the British Troops under Sir John Moore. With a Map of the Route, and Appropriate Engravings. By an Officer.
An artistic prodigy, admitted to the Academy at the age of fifteen, Porter made his reputation as a painter of spectacular battle scenes and panoramas.
In 1804 he was invited to Russia to join the Tsar’s court as historical painter, being employed in decorating Admiralty Hall, St. Petersburg with vast historical paintings.
Between 1806 and 1811 he travelled across Europe, visiting Finland, Sweden and Germany. Whilst in Sweden, he met Sir John Moore and subsequently joined him in the Peninsula where he was present at Corunna and at the general’s death. He returned with numerous sketches of the campaign from which the plates in this present volume were produced.
Sandler 2762.