Andreas Miaoulis.

Friedal, Adam de Andrea Miaoulis. "Andrea Miaoulis, Admiral of the Greek Fleet" London " Drawn from life & pub.d. in London by Adam Friedal ..now in course of Publication by A. Friedal & sold by commision for A Friedal . 12 Pheonix Row Blackfriars Road & by all the Principal Book & Printsellers in Town & Country." March 1826
Black & white lithograph portrait of Andreas Miaoulis from the second edtion of Friedals "Series of Greek Portraits (2nd part)" verso blank. Printed signature in Greek

Andreas Vokos, nicknamed Miaoulis (1768 – 1835),
was an admiral and politician who commanded Greek naval forces during the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829).
Miaoulis, who was of Arvanite origin, was born in Euboea and settled on the island of Hydra east of the Morea and was known among his fellow islanders as a trader in corn who had gained wealth and made a popular use of his money. He had been a merchant captain, and was chosen to lead the naval forces of the islands when they rose against the government of the Sultan. Miaoulis contributed in every way possible to the cause of the resistance against the Turks. He expended the money he had made from his wheat-shipping business during the Napoleonic Wars.
Between May 1825 and January 1826,Miaoulis led the Greeks to victory over the Turks in skirmishes off Modon, Cape Matapan, Suda, and Cape Papas.
As early as 1822 Miaoulis was appointed navarch,or admiral, of the swarm of small vessels which formed the insurgent fleet. He commanded the expedition sent to take revenge for the massacre of Chios in the same year. He was victorious at the Battle of Nauplia in September.

In 1824, after the conquest of Psara by the Turks, he commanded the Greek forces which prevented the further progress of the Sultan's fleet, though at the cost of the loss of many fire ships and men. But in the same year he was unable to prevent the Egyptian forces from occupying Navarino, though he harassed them with some success. In 1825 he succeeded in carrying stores and reinforcements into Missolonghi, when it was besieged for the second time, though he could not avert its fall.

When independence had been obtained, Miaoulis in his old age was entangled in the civil conflicts of his country, as an opponent of Capodistrias and the Russian Party : he seized some of the principal ships of the Greek fleet at Poros in August 1831, including the Hellas, and destroyed them during the counter-attack of the Russian fleet.

He was one of the deputation sent to invite King Otho to accept the crown of Greece, and was made rear-admiral and then vice-admiral by him. Otto also awarded him with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer. Clean and bright; light spotting.

Adam [de] Friedal,
there is much confusion about Friedal's origins, He is supposed to be a Danish Phihellene and apparently passed himself off as a Baron.
St Clair tells us that Friedal carried a lithographic press on his back whilst in Greece where he seems to have been between 1821-24.. He was at Missolonghi for a while with Lord Byron and married the sister of one of Byron's artificers, John Hodges. Byron wrote a letter introducing Friedal to the notice of the London Greek Commitee. Friedal returned and settled in London and produced his first portrait of Mavrocordato dated September 1824.

"The Greeks. Twenty-four Portraits (In Four Parts Of Six Portraits Each,) of the Principal Leaders and Personages Who Have Made Themseves Most Conspicuous in the Greek Revolution.." 1st edition 1824.
thereafter there are a number of editions, with differences to the portraits. The portraits in the 1st Edition, probably after Friedal's original drawings are fairly primitive, with each new edition they became more refined.
A second edition of the first 2 parts was issued in 1826. Some of these plates are marked 'second edition', others merely have anew date on the plate surface. In most cases a completely new portrait replaces that of the previous ediion; parts 3 & 4 are unchanged.
In 1827 two editions appeared with the imprint "London and Paris, 1827", some on India paper. one in which the portraits had no, or a very simple background, the other with full complex backgrounds. A French edition appeared the same year.
In 1828-9 Dean & Munday brought out another series of Friedal plates, some but not all marked 'fourth edition', their most distinguishing feature being that they are full length.
They re- issued a number of plates in 1830, marked fifth and sixth edition. There exist wrappers for a 'sixth edition 'appearing in 1832. [Navari].
Navari/ Blackmer: 633; Sotheby's/Blackmer:606; 450 by 316mm (17¾ by 12½ inches) full page   ref: 1920  €750