Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster (1767-1845), Patron of art and the turf

Sitter associated with 8 portraits
Elected as an MP in 1788, he supported the Whigs and took an active part in public affairs. He voted for the Reform Bill and was a member of the Anti-Corn Law League. On his father's death in 1802 he became 2nd Earl Grosvenor. In 1826, having obtained special powers by Act of Parliament, he began to develop the parts of his London estate that were to become Belgravia and Pimlico. This urban development made the family one of the richest in Britain. At the coronation of William IV in 1831, he was created Marquess of Westminster. He enlarged the Grosvenor House art collection, then one of the best private collections in the world. He also owned some of the most famous racehorses of the day.