Sir George Henry Richards

Inscriptionback to top

Apparently signed on the back (now no longer visible): Stephen Pearce

This portraitback to top

Richards is wearing the full-dress uniform (1864 pattern) either of a naval captain with over three years service or of a commodore (1st or 2nd class), the Arctic Medal (1818-55), and the China Medal (1842 or 57). The date of the portrait was provided by the artist in a memorandum of c.1899 (NPG archives).

Physical descriptionback to top

Blue(?) eyes, brown hair and whiskers. Dressed in a dark stock, white shirt, dark blue naval uniform with gold-braided collar and epaulettes, gilt buttons, and two silver stars, one with grey ribbon (left), the other crimson with yellow edges. Background colour greenish-brown.

Provenanceback to top

Commissioned or purchased by Lady Franklin, and bequeathed by her niece, Miss Sophia Cracroft, in accordance with the wishes of her aunt, 1892.

Exhibitionsback to top

RA, 1866 (577); Royal Naval Exhibition, Chelsea, 1891 (48).


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 Stephen Pearce

View all known portraits for Sir George Henry Richards