Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue
George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860), Prime Minister
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
This does not include photographs or caricatures. The best source for illustrations of portraits of Aberdeen is Lady F. Balfour, The Life of George, Fourth Earl of Aberdeen (1923).
1808
Painting by Sir T. Lawrence. Collection of the Earl of Haddo, Haddo House. Exhibited RA, 1808 (74). Engraved by C. Turner, published 1809 (example in NPG), engraving reproduced Lady F. Balfour, I, facing 96. A copy by M. Healy is in the Musée de Versailles.
c.1812
Bust by J. Bacon. Exhibited RA, 1812 (928).
c.1814
Bust by J. Nollekens. Exhibited RA, 1814 (801).
The same or another bust was in the artist's sale, 1823. A plaster bust by W. Theed the younger of c.1865, showing Aberdeen in the costume of an ambassador as he appeared in c.1813-14, is at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and may be after the Nollekens. Another cast of the Theed is at Wellington College.
1820
'Trial of Queen Caroline, 1820', water-colour by R. Bowyer, A. Pugin and J. Stephanoff. Houses of Parliament. Engraved by J. G. Murray, published R. Bowyer, 1823 (example in Houses of Parliament).
c.1826
Painting by P. C. Wonder (NPG 793).
c.1830
Painting by Sir T. Lawrence. Collection of Viscount Cowdray, formerly Peel collection. Exhibited RA 1830 (116). Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, I, frontispiece. Engraved by S. Cousins, published Colnaghi, 1831 (example in NPG). Engraved by E. McInnes, published Graves, 1844 (example in British Museum).
1831
Engraving by T. Woolnoth, after A. Wivell, published 1831 (example in NPG), for Jerdan's 'National Portrait Gallery'.
1832
'Society of Antiquaries', engraving by D. Maclise, published Fraser's Magazine, V (1832), between 474-5.
1833
'The House of Commons, 1833' by Sir G. Hayter (NPG 54).
c.1835
'Members of the House of Lords, c1835' attributed to I. R. Cruikshank (NPG 2789).
1837
'Queen Victoria Presiding Over Her First Council, 1837' by Sir D. Wilkie. Royal Collection.
c.1839
Painting by Sir M. A. Shee. Scottish NPG.
Presumably that exhibited RA, 1839 (60). Dated '1830' by F. D. Singh, Portraits in Norfolk Houses, I (1927), 343, for reasons which are not given. Aberdeen's age suggests a date nearer 1840.
1840-3
Three paintings by Margaret Carpenter. Listed in her 'Sitters Book' (copy of original MS, NPG archives), pp 29-30 (two of 1840), and p 33 (one of 1843). None has been traced.
1842
'Christening of the Prince of Wales' by Sir G. Hayter. Royal Collection.
1843
'Reception of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the Château d'Eu' by E. Lami. Musée de Versailles. Reduced version: Royal Collection.
Lithograph by E. Desmaisons, published A. & C. Baily (example in NPG).
1844
'Queen Victoria Receiving Louis Philippe at Windsor' by F. X. Winterhalter. Royal Collection. A larger version is at Versailles.
1846
'The Fine Arts Commissioners, 1846' by J. Partridge (NPG 342). Study (NPG 750).
1852
Painting by Sir J. Watson Gordon. Collection of the Earl of Haddo, Haddo House.
Exhibited RA, 1852 (75). Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, frontispiece, when in the Town and Country Hall, Aberdeen. Engraved by E. Burton, published Hill, 1853 (example in British Museum).
1853
'Evening at Balmoral – The Stags Brought Home', water-colour by C. Haag. Royal Collection.
Study of Aberdeen: Royal Collection, exhibited British Portraits, RA, 1956-7 (716).
1854
'The Coalition Ministry' by Sir J. Gilbert (NPG 1125).
1855
'Queen Victoria Investing Napoleon III with the Order of the Garter' by E. M. Ward. Royal Collection.
c.1857
Bust by J. Francis. Exhibited RA, 1857 (1348).
1874
Bust by M. Noble. Westminster Abbey.
Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, facing 320. Plaster cast: collection of Lord Dudley Gordon. Marble copy of 1964: Houses of Parliament.
Undated
Painting called Aberdeen and attributed to J. Hoppner. Edwards Gallery, Edinburgh, 1970.
Miniature by an unknown artist. Formerly in the collection of the Earl of Chesterfield.
Effigy by Sir J. E. Boehm. Great Stanmore Church.
Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, facing 320.
Engraving (entitled 'Château d'Eu') by W. Skelton and J. Hopwood (example in NPG).
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.
1808
Painting by Sir T. Lawrence. Collection of the Earl of Haddo, Haddo House. Exhibited RA, 1808 (74). Engraved by C. Turner, published 1809 (example in NPG), engraving reproduced Lady F. Balfour, I, facing 96. A copy by M. Healy is in the Musée de Versailles.
c.1812
Bust by J. Bacon. Exhibited RA, 1812 (928).
c.1814
Bust by J. Nollekens. Exhibited RA, 1814 (801).
The same or another bust was in the artist's sale, 1823. A plaster bust by W. Theed the younger of c.1865, showing Aberdeen in the costume of an ambassador as he appeared in c.1813-14, is at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and may be after the Nollekens. Another cast of the Theed is at Wellington College.
1820
'Trial of Queen Caroline, 1820', water-colour by R. Bowyer, A. Pugin and J. Stephanoff. Houses of Parliament. Engraved by J. G. Murray, published R. Bowyer, 1823 (example in Houses of Parliament).
c.1826
Painting by P. C. Wonder (NPG 793).
c.1830
Painting by Sir T. Lawrence. Collection of Viscount Cowdray, formerly Peel collection. Exhibited RA 1830 (116). Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, I, frontispiece. Engraved by S. Cousins, published Colnaghi, 1831 (example in NPG). Engraved by E. McInnes, published Graves, 1844 (example in British Museum).
1831
Engraving by T. Woolnoth, after A. Wivell, published 1831 (example in NPG), for Jerdan's 'National Portrait Gallery'.
1832
'Society of Antiquaries', engraving by D. Maclise, published Fraser's Magazine, V (1832), between 474-5.
1833
'The House of Commons, 1833' by Sir G. Hayter (NPG 54).
c.1835
'Members of the House of Lords, c1835' attributed to I. R. Cruikshank (NPG 2789).
1837
'Queen Victoria Presiding Over Her First Council, 1837' by Sir D. Wilkie. Royal Collection.
c.1839
Painting by Sir M. A. Shee. Scottish NPG.
Presumably that exhibited RA, 1839 (60). Dated '1830' by F. D. Singh, Portraits in Norfolk Houses, I (1927), 343, for reasons which are not given. Aberdeen's age suggests a date nearer 1840.
1840-3
Three paintings by Margaret Carpenter. Listed in her 'Sitters Book' (copy of original MS, NPG archives), pp 29-30 (two of 1840), and p 33 (one of 1843). None has been traced.
1842
'Christening of the Prince of Wales' by Sir G. Hayter. Royal Collection.
1843
'Reception of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the Château d'Eu' by E. Lami. Musée de Versailles. Reduced version: Royal Collection.
Lithograph by E. Desmaisons, published A. & C. Baily (example in NPG).
1844
'Queen Victoria Receiving Louis Philippe at Windsor' by F. X. Winterhalter. Royal Collection. A larger version is at Versailles.
1846
'The Fine Arts Commissioners, 1846' by J. Partridge (NPG 342). Study (NPG 750).
1852
Painting by Sir J. Watson Gordon. Collection of the Earl of Haddo, Haddo House.
Exhibited RA, 1852 (75). Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, frontispiece, when in the Town and Country Hall, Aberdeen. Engraved by E. Burton, published Hill, 1853 (example in British Museum).
1853
'Evening at Balmoral – The Stags Brought Home', water-colour by C. Haag. Royal Collection.
Study of Aberdeen: Royal Collection, exhibited British Portraits, RA, 1956-7 (716).
1854
'The Coalition Ministry' by Sir J. Gilbert (NPG 1125).
1855
'Queen Victoria Investing Napoleon III with the Order of the Garter' by E. M. Ward. Royal Collection.
c.1857
Bust by J. Francis. Exhibited RA, 1857 (1348).
1874
Bust by M. Noble. Westminster Abbey.
Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, facing 320. Plaster cast: collection of Lord Dudley Gordon. Marble copy of 1964: Houses of Parliament.
Undated
Painting called Aberdeen and attributed to J. Hoppner. Edwards Gallery, Edinburgh, 1970.
Miniature by an unknown artist. Formerly in the collection of the Earl of Chesterfield.
Effigy by Sir J. E. Boehm. Great Stanmore Church.
Reproduced Lady F. Balfour, II, facing 320.
Engraving (entitled 'Château d'Eu') by W. Skelton and J. Hopwood (example in NPG).
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.