The Duke of Marlborough arrives under escort at The Tower of London (Signed) (Original)

Artist: John Millar Watt
Medium: Pen & Ink Wash on Board
Size: 16" x 8" (395mm x 200mm)
Date: 1964
Signature: Signed by artist with monogram bottom right and signed on reverse
Code: MillarWattDukeLL

This is the Signed unique original Pen & Ink Wash by John Millar Watt.

This fabulous illustration depicting the Duke of Marlborough being escorted to the Tower of London on grounds of treason was painted by John Millar-Watt on 8/10/1964 and subsequently published in Look and Learn magazine Issue 151, released 5/12/1964. Millar-Watt's inimitable fast passed pen lines create a furore of ambience in this politically charged scene.

The Duke's signature was discovered on papers pertaining to treason, amongst these papers there was a deed, pledging allegiance to James who had fled to France. After mounting a fierce defence, Marlborough and the other Jacobites named in the papers were acquitted, as it was discovered that the papers were forgeries created by none other than Robert Young, a criminal serving time in the famous Newgate Prison. Although all the prisoners were acquitted, the Duke of Marlborough was still detained, as he had proved to be extremely duplicitous in the past.

In 1702, the King had entirely forgiven Marlborough and entrusted him with the overall command of the allied forces on the continent. Within 7 years the Duke had won four of the most famous battles in history: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde and Malplaquet.

• Artist Biography
  John Millar Watt (14 October 1895 - December 1975; Gurrock, Scotland)
  John Millar Watt was born at Gurrock on the Clyde, educated at Ilford in Essex, studied art at The Sir John Cass Institute and The Slade. In 1915 he joined the Artist's Rifles and was later commissioned into the Essex Regiment. Serving on the Western Front in the line at Dedville, Beaumont Harnell and the Somme, he was gassed at Virny Ridge. Demobbed in 1919 he became a student at the Slade. While still at art school he drew some sports cartoons for the Daily Chronicle and the Christmas cover in colour for the Sphere in 1920.
  
  In 1921 on May 21st, the great comic character, Pop appeared in the Daily Sketch. In 1925 the first Pop annual appeared and continued annually until 1949. He painted front covers for Sphere for Royal weddings, Coronations, state funerals as well as Christmas numbers, The Illustrated London News, Readers Digest and many other publications.
  
  As a water colourist and oil painter he exhibited at The Royal Academy of Art as well as many galleries. In the late 1950s, Millar Watt turned his talents to adventure comic strips and historical illustrations. His work appeared in Thriller Picture Library (covers and interior art, especially Robin Hood and Dick Turpin), Robin Hood Annuals (covers and full colour plates), Look & Learn magazine (colour and black and white illustrations for many famous historical scenes and events), Ranger ( Treasure Island serial) and historical work for Topper annuals. Sadly, much of his original work has disappeared over the years, lost or destroyed.