This appears to be a copy of a picture in Lord Lichfield's
possession at Shugborough in Staffordshire, by Thomas Hudson, a
portrait painter, who flourished from 1701 to 1779, and who is
chiefly remembered now as the master of Reynolds.
Anson was a victorious admiral in the reign of George II., well
known for his famous voyage round the world in the years 1740-44,
and for his great exploit of capturing, in 1743, the Spanish
galleon "Manilla," which had a cargo on board valued at £313,000.
He was created a peer in 1747 for his victory over the French
fleet, and was First Lord of the Admiralty during the Seven Years'
War.
He is here represented in peer's robes, which approximately fixes
the date of the picture.
Bockman, by profession a mezzotint engraver, was in England about
1745-50, when he executed copies of various portraits of admirals,
which had been painted by Kneller for James II., and G. Dahl, a
Swedish painter, for William III. The originals were presented by
William IV. in 1835 to Greenwich Hospital.