Cecil Rhodes

India-laid mezzotint signed in pencil by artist and engraver. Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL (1853 - 1902) was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%. An ardent believer in British colonialism, he was the founder of the state of Rhodesia, which was named after him. In 1964, Northern Rhodesia became the independent state of Zambia and Southern Rhodesia was thereafter known simply as Rhodesia. South Africa's Rhodes University is also named after Rhodes. He set up the provisions of the Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his estate. Norman Hirst was an early 20th century English printmaker who worked in mezzotint. Sir Hubert von Herkomer CVO was a British painter of German descent.