Four oval bust-length portraits of (clockwise from top left) Richard Howe, Earl Howe (1726–1799), John Jervis, Earl of St Vincent (1752–1820), Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson (1758–1805), Adam Duncan, Viscount Duncan (1731–1804) and Andrew Mitchell (1757–1806). The top two portraits (Howe and St Vincent) are supported by laurel wreaths and the bottom two portraits (Duncan and Mitchell) are suspended from ribbons. Nelson’s portrait in the centre is surmounted by a glowing crown and supported by an anchor. Each portrait is accompanied by an inscription giving the sitter’s name and the details of a significant victory from their naval career. All four sitters wear flag officers’ full-dress uniform, 1795–1812, with ribbons over their right shoulders and stars on their left breasts, regardless of whether or not they actually held honours which entailed wearing such regalia. The ribbon and star are correct for St Vincent, Nelson and Mitchell, who were all members of the Order of the Bath. Duncan’s ribbon should be worn over the other shoulder in accordance with the regalia for the Russian Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, to which he was appointed in July 1797. Similarly, Howe’s ribbon should also be represented over the left shoulder, rather than the right, since he was a knight of the Order of the Garter. Nelson additionally wears a naval gold medal and has his empty right sleeve pinned across his chest. Lettered beneath the image with the title of the print and the publication line: ‘Portraits of Five Noble Admirals, Who have so gloriously distinguished themselves during the present War. Dedicated to the Jolly Tars of old England. / Published Sept. 18th 1799 by Laurie & Whittle No. 53 Fleet Street, London.’ This print was published by James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie in September 1799. It celebrates the admirals responsible for five major British naval victories of the 1790s: the Battle of the Glorious First of June on 1 June 1794 (Howe); the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797 (St Vincent); the Battle of Camperdown on 11 October 1797 (Duncan); the Battle of the Nile on 1–3 August 1798 (Nelson); and the surrender of the Dutch ships at Nieuwe Diep and Vlieter in late August 1799 (Mitchell). The concept of the print may have been inspired by Valentine Green’s print ‘The British Naval Victors’, published 11 February 1798 (see PAI4979). Green’s print may have also been the source for some of the admiral’s likenesses. (Updated June 2019.)