Artwork
A Captn of Banditti Sending Out a Party
A Captn of Banditti Sending Out a Party is an ink print by the Romanticist artist John Hamilton Mortimer. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
John Hamilton Mortimer’s 1778 etching *A Captn of Banditti Sending Out a Party* is part of a small group of war-themed prints he created in the 1770s. Executed a year before his death at thirty‑nine, the image shows a commanding figure directing armed companions within a stark, rugged landscape, reflecting Mortimer’s interest in dramatic narrative scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a standing leader, sword in hand, issuing orders to a kneeling, armored follower whose outstretched hand suggests fatigue or surrender. The title and the tense posture of the figures evoke a bandit raid or guerrilla encounter, emphasizing conflict and the precarious balance between authority and defeat.
Technique & Style
Mortimer employed the etching process to achieve fine line work and deep tonal contrasts. The background is rendered with swirling clouds and jagged, shadowy forms that convey a sense of chaos, while the figures are delineated with precise, expressive strokes reminiscent of the dramatic Baroque style of Salvator Rosa.
History & Provenance
Created during Mortimer’s tenure as President of the Society of Artists in 1774, the print aligns with his broader output as a British figure and landscape painter. It was produced shortly before his untimely death, marking one of his final contributions to the print medium.
Context
The work reflects the 18th‑century British fascination with romanticized depictions of bandits and military action, drawing on continental influences that favored dramatic, narrative‑driven compositions. Mortimer’s choice of a bandit captain as subject situates the piece within contemporary tastes for exotic, turbulent scenes.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Hamilton Mortimer (17 September 1740 – 4 February 1779) was a British figure and landscape painter and printmaker, known for romantic paintings set in Italy, works depicting conversations, and works drawn in the…
![Mucius Scaevola [recto], by John Hamilton Mortimer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-hamilton-mortimer--mucius-scaevola-recto--0de678fa443f7962-w320.webp)
