Laskarina Bouboulina.

Friedal, Adam de Bobolina. "Bobolina, the distinguished Heroine from Spezia". London " In course of Publication in London by A. Friedal & sold by the principal book & printsellers in town & Country." August 1826
Black & white lithograph portrait of Laskarina Bouboulina from the second edtion of Friedals "Series of Greek Portraits (2nd part)" verso blank.
The portrait bust, shows a romanticised image of Bouboulina, replacing the previous portrait of the first edition; she is noticeably younger and prettier, wearing a sarik or turban, against a background of trees and a mosque.
possibly reflecting her early life in Constantinople. thus the image can be considered a first edition; Friedal would refine it even further in later editions of the work.

Bouboulina was born in a prison in Constantinople; she originated from the Arvanite community of the island of Hydra, daughter of Stavrianos Pinotsis, a captain from Hydra island. The Ottomans had imprisoned Pinotsis for his part in the failed Orlof Revolution of 1769–1770 against the Ottoman rule. Her father died soon afterward and the mother and child returned to Hydra. They moved to the island of Spetses four years later when her mother married Dimitrios Lazarou-Orlof.

She married twice, first Dimitrios Yiannouzas and later the wealthy shipowner and captain Dimitrios Bouboulis, taking his surname. Bouboulis was killed in battle against Algerian pirates in 1811. Now 40 years old, Bouboulina took over his fortune and his trading business and had four more ships built at her own expense, including the large warship Agamemnon.

In 1816, the Ottomans tried to confiscate Bouboulina's property because her second husband had fought for the Russians against the Turks in the Turko-Russian wars. She sailed to Constantinople to meet Russian ambassador Count Pavel Strogonov and seek his protection. In recognition of Bouboulis's service to the Russians, Strogonov sent her to safety in Crimea. She also met with the mother of Mahmud II, who afterward reportedly convinced her

Allegedly Bouboulina joined the Filiki Etaireia, an underground organization that was preparing Greece for revolution against Ottoman rule. She would have been one of few women but she is not named in historical members lists. She bought arms and ammunition at her own expense and brought them secretly to Spetses in her ships, to fight "for the sake of my nation." Construction of the ship Agamemnon was finished in 1820. She bribed Turkish officials to ignore the ship's size and it was later one of the largest warships in the hands of Greek rebels. She also organized her own armed troops, composed of men from Spetses. She used most of her fortune to provide food and ammunition for the sailors and soldiers under her command.

On 13 March 1821 Bouboulina raised on the mast of Agamemnon her own Greek flag, based on the flag of the Comnenus dynasty of Byzantine emperors. The people of Spetses revolted on 3 April and later joined forces with ships from other Greek islands. Bouboulina sailed with eight ships to Nafplion and began a naval blockade. Later she took part in the naval blockade and capture of Monemvasia and Pylos. She arrived at Tripolis in time to witness its fall on 11 September 1821 and to meet general Theodoros Kolokotronis.During the ensuing defeat of the Ottoman garrison, Bouboulina saved most of the female members of the sultan's household.

In 1823 Emperor Alexander I of Russia granted Bouboulina the rank of Admiral of the Russian Navy 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: 1919  €750