Page 425 - Beholding Liberty!

HALL OF THE ADJUTANTS
ΙΙΙ.8.3
Adam de Friedel (ca. 1780 - ?) Portrait of Manto Mavrogenous
coloured lithograph, illustration in the album The Greeks, Twenty-four Portraits, London – Paris 1827
inscribed (caption): MADON (low centre) Daughter of Nicholas Mavrogenie, the distinguished / Heroine of Micona, a small Island in the Archipelago. Published in London and Paris, 1827, by A. Friedel. This Print forms one of the Series of Greek Portraits, (2d Part) now in course of Publication in London & Paris, 1827,by A. Friedel, & sold by the / principal Book, & Printseller
in Town & Country. (bottom left) Fille de l’hospodar Nicolas Mavroguenay, une Heroine / distinguée de Micony, une petits Isle de l’Archipel. // Publié à Londres par A. Friedel. / Ces dessins forment une Serie de Portraits des Grecs (2.me Partie) et / se trouvent chez tous les principaux libraries et marchands d’estampes / à Paris et dans les departements. (bottom right)
Library of the Hellenic Parliament
MAVROGENOUS is shown in bust, in three quarters, facing to the right, splendidly dressed and coiffed. This is one of 24 portraits produced and published by Adam Friedel, bound in album form. It is accompanied by a detailed bilingual inscription in English and French.
Adam Friedel, a Dane, was a member of the secret Filiki Etaireia; when the Greek Revolution broke out, he found himself in the Peloponnese and enlisted as a volunteer.
Thanks to his involvement, he personally met many major figures of the Struggle; certain false claims he made, however – for instance regarding his aris- tocratic background – were exposed and forced him to leave for London, where he established a litho- graphic press. It was there, between 1824 and 1826, that he published the first two series of portraits of military and political figures involved in the Greek War, which he had painted from life in Greece; these were drawings, often coloured by J. Bouvier, titled The Greeks, Twenty-four Portraits (in four parts of six portraits each), of the principal Leaders and Person- ages who have made themselves most conspicuous in the Greek Revolution with or without biographical descriptions. A huge success, this publication was later reissued in London and Paris between 1827 and 1832.
HEROON OF THE STUGGLE The Heroes of the sword 425