Sir Edward Banks

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated lower left: Wm Patten/1835.

This portraitback to top

William Patten junior, miniaturist and portrait-painter of London, painted Banks on three occasions, all on canvases of approximately the same size: (1) Exhibited RA 1825 (159). This was probably commissioned to celebrate his knighthood, awarded in June 1822 'for the extraordinary exertions, industry, skill and perseverance he had displayed in the execution of Waterloo and Southwark Bridges'. It shows him seated as in NPG 5504 but with plans of London Bridge, without the gold seals at his waist and apparently with no inscription. It was shown to the NPG in 1928 and to the Laing Museum and Art Gallery in 1938, but its present location is unknown (photograph in NPG). (2) Exhibited RA 1829 (762) and now in the Guildhall Art Collection (599) acquired in 1895, provenance unrecorded. In this portrait Banks sits squarely in a slightly different armchair, his hands at a lower angle, and there are no bridge plans; it is also uninscribed. (3) NPG 5504, signed and dated 1835. This was presumably painted for his partner the Rev William Jolliffe who unfortunately died in January 1835, six months before Banks himself, but it passed to his son William (created Baron Hylton 1866) remaining in the Jolliffe family until acquired by the NPG from the 5th Baron Hylton in 1982. It is clearly intended to commemorate the firm's masterpiece Waterloo Bridge.

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length seated sideways in a Regency armchair, dark blue tail-coat with brass buttons, grey waistcoat, white shirt, gold seals at waist, plans of Waterloo Bridge on table to right; light brown hair possibly tinted, hazel eyes, fresh healthy complexion.

Provenanceback to top

Colonel Hylton Jolliffe MP, partner in the construction firm of Jolliffe & Banks, descending to Lord Hylton and his sale Christie's 3 February 1978 (lot 105 withdrawn); Sotheby's (various properties) 10 June 1982 (96) bought Leggatt on behalf of the NPG.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, 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 Edward Banks