Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon

Inscriptionback to top

The original canvas inscribed verso: W.DAVISON/61 L[E]ICESTER/SQU[A]R/Kenyon.<sup>1

1</sup> Recorded by C. K. Adams in 1919.

This portraitback to top

A copy painted in 1839-40 from a half-length presented in 1821 by the sitter’s son to the Middle Temple, [1] where it was described in 1834 as by Romney. [2] The Minutes of the Middle Temple Society, 8 November 1839, record that Lord [the 2nd Baron] Kenyon had requested the loan of this portrait ‘for the purpose of taking a copy thereof to be placed in Serjeant’s Inn Hall; It is ordered that the portrait be lent to Mr Davison & that he be allowed to take it home for the purpose of copying it’. [3] On April 1840 the Serjeants Inn acknowledged the receipt of the portrait. [4]
The Middle Temple half length had itself been copied from the three-quarter length portrait formerly at Gredington (of which a version was sold Sotheby’s, 25 November 1998, lot 45). [5] It was engraved by Holl in 1804 as by Romney, [6] but a reduced version of Holl’s plate published in 1833 and 1847 was lettered as after Shee. This inconsistency is explained by the fact that Kenyon sat just once, on 21 March 1792, to Romney, who received 60 gn. for the portrait (confirming a three-quarter length), but of this sum 35gn. went to Shee for finishing the painting. [7]

Footnotesback to top

1) See B. Williamson, Cat. of Paintings and Engravings in the possession of the Hon Society of the Middle Temple, 1931, p 19.
2) On the occasion of it being cleaned (letter from B. Williamson, 14 June 1926; NPG archive).
3) Minute Book O, p 624, 8 November 1839, transcript in NPG archive.
4) Cat. of the Portraits in Serjeants’ Inn, 1868, p 4, no.16.
5) Described as given by the sitter in 1791 to his niece, later Mrs H. G. Boutes.
6) And, for example, listed as Romney by J. Steegman, Portraits in Welsh Houses, 1957, I, p 154, no.20.
7) H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, 1904, I, p 125, II, p 88. Shee was to acquire Romney’s studio in Cavendish Square in 1798.

Referenceback to top

Ward & Roberts 1904
H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, 1904, II, p 88.

Physical descriptionback to top

Brown eyes, wearing the full white wig of the chief justice of the King’s Bench, with the white fur hood, white-fur-trimmed red gown and gold SS collar.

Provenanceback to top

Painted for the Serjeants Inn, Society of Judges & Serjeants-at-Law, by whom presented 1877.

Exhibitionsback to top

Law Courts, London, 1966-.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, 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 Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon

View all known portraits for George Romney

View all known portraits for Sir Martin Archer Shee