Peace arriving in Britain at the end of the Seven Years War. Etching by J.S. Miller and engraving by Cole, 1763.

  • Miller, John, 1715-1790?
Date:
[1764]
Reference:
2871155i
Part of:
Oxford almanacks
  • Pictures

About this work

Description

Centre, a winged woman holding the caduceus and a laurel branch, representing peace. A man in armour (supposed to be King George III) presents her to Britannia, who holds a spear. Between them is an altar carved with a relief of fasces, with the motto "Pacem te poscimus omnes" (We all ask you for peace: Virgil, Aeneid XI.362), and with the date 10 December 1763. Beyond the altar, a woman representing religion (holding a flaming altar) embraces a woman representing justice (blindfolded, holding scales)

Right foreground, Apollo with his lyre, accompanied by women representing painting, poetry (possibly; she has no attribute), sculpture (holding statuette of Venus), architecture (holding plan of a temple, and wearing a triangle decoration as masonic symbol?), and mathematics. Next to them a winged genius is weaving garlands

Left background, the closed temple of Janus with a procession of priests leaving it. Centre background, a woman representing history records the births of the princes George (the future King George IV as Prince of Wales) and Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany, on the base of a pyramid. She is accompanied by Fame and Plenty: the latter crowns Father Time with a garland. Right background, towers of Christ Church and Magdalen, and the dome of the Radcliffe Camera

Publication/Creation

[Oxford] : [Oxford University Press?], [1764]

Physical description

1 print : etching and line engraving ; platemark 50.1 x 45.9 cm

Lettering

The Oxford almanack for the year of our Lord God MDCCLXIIII being bissextile or leap year. J. Miller inv. del. et sculpt. Cole Oxon. cal. sc. Lettering continues with a calendar for 1764 and names of officers of the university

References note

Helen Mary Petter, The Oxford almanacks, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974, pp. 14 ("The Seven Years War came to an end in 1763 and was duly celebrated in the almanack for 1764"), p. 72 ("Peace, having descended from heaven, is received by the king, and by him led to Britannia, who, before an altar, is ready to receive her, and join hands. Behind these three figures is Religion embracing Justice. Two genii are decorating the shield of Britannia with laurels and palms. Peace is followed by Plenty, putting a garland of flowers on the head of Time. Behind this group is a pyramid, whereon History is recording the auspicious births of the princes, and Fame is ready to proclaim them. At a distance is the Temple of Janus shut, and the priests retiring. On the fore-ground sits Apollo attended by Poesy, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and Mathematicks, with a genius weaving garlands for those that excel; and at some distance, Thame and Isis", quoting from the accompanying 'Explanation')

Reference

Wellcome Collection 2871155i

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