Four Generations (Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII) and King George V)

This portraitback to top

This is a study for the large painting at Canton House Terrace, London, originally commissioned by the Royal Agricultural Society in 1897, exhibited RA, 1900 (143), as 'Windsor Castle, 1899: portraits'. [1] Another more finished oil study is in the Russell-Cotes Museum, Bournemouth, exhibited Pageant of Canada, Ottawa, 1967 (254), Decade: 1890-1900, Arts Council, 1967 (6), and Sir William Quiller Orchardson, RA, Scottish Arts Council, 1972 (68), reproduced in all three catalogues. There are five preliminary pencil studies of the heads at Windsor, two exhibited Orchardson, Scottish Arts Council, 1972 (66-7). The sizes of the picture in the artist's sale and the 1911 RA exhibition correspond to those of the NPG, except that they suggest an upright picture (possibly a mistake).

Footnotesback to top

1) See H. O. Gray, The Life of Sir William Quiller Orchardson (c.1910), pp 16, 283-7, 337; the picture is reproduced facing p 286.

Referenceback to top

Orchardson Exhibition catalogue, Scottish Arts Council, 1972 (68).

Physical descriptionback to top

Mainly in brown monochrome, with traces of colour; the red flowers held by the Duke of Windsor, and his blue sash.

Provenanceback to top

Possibly artist's sale, Waring & Gillow, 24-27 May 1910 (lot 740); Mrs C. Frank, purchased from her, 1967.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

View all known portraits for Sir William Quiller Orchardson

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