Description

Admin History:

Martin Beckman, pyrotechnist and military engineer was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1634/5. Beckman left Sweden in the mid 1640s to serve the English Crown and is likely to have followed his brother who served with the royalists.

In 1677 Beckman was appointed Chief Engineer of the King's forts and fortifications which took him across the country, and in 1681 Hull's defences were strengthened to Beckman's plans. He prepared the fireworks display for the coronation of James II in 1685 and prepared reports on the defences of the towns in Northern England. He was knighted in March 1686 and advised on the defences at Tilbury and Berwick and returned to Hull for further work. He died in June 1702.

This painting has been copied from Beckman's original sketches of panoramic views of Hull, which are now held at the British Library.

Description:

Watercolour painting mounted on board, with title plate taken from the original frame. Artist unknown.