Regency Portraits Catalogue

Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), Lord Chancellor

1783
Oil by Lemuel Abbot known from James Walker's mezzotint 1783, half-length seated with fingers to cheek (John Chaloner Smith, British Mezzotint Portraits, 4).

1786
Oil by Reynolds in Royal Collection (Sir Oliver Millar, The Later Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1969, 1020), sittings in January-February 1786, engraved in mezzotint by Jones, May 1786 and exhibited RA 1786 (65); Campbell in Lives of the Lord Chancellors and several 19th century engravings give the artist's name as Hoppner.

1791
Miniature by Cosway known from Sharp's engraving 1791 and re-issued with alterations to hair-style in 1801.

Drawing 'from the life' by C. Corbould engraved by Warren for The Senator 11 March 1791.

1794
Miniature engraved by Chapman, 1 December 1794, in wig and bands.

Oil by Hickel at Howick Grange, small oval sketch for Hickel's 'House of Commons 1793-4' (see NPG 745).

Silver medal by John Milton commemorating the trial of Hardy, Tooke and Thelwall, successfully defended by Erskine and Vicary Gibbs, inscribed with the two heads and the words Patriots who for Sacred Freedom stood (example in British Museum and see Sir George Scharf’s Trustees Sketchbooks, XXXVIII, 72 and reproduced Laurence Brown, British Historical Medals, 1980, 376.)

1795
Drawing by Isaac Cruikshank engraved by G. Murray for The Register of the Times, 12 January, 1795, inscribed 'from the life' but closely resembling Cosway's lost miniature of 1791.

1796
Drawing or miniature by W. H. Brown engraved by Ridley 1796.

1797
Drawing or miniature by R. H. Porter engraved by Chapman 1797.

1798
Caricature by Gillray, 'Concellor Ego. - i:e: - little i, myself i', published 1 October 1798.

1802
Oil by Lawrence in Lincoln's Inn, painted for Charles Moore, exhibited RA 1802 (184) and mezzotints by Clint 1803 and Turner 1806; a replica painted for Peel was in Peel Heirloom sale, Robinson & Fisher 29 November 1917 (85), possibly that now in Harvard Law School; a copy by Colvin Smith is in the Mechanics' Institute Brechin.

1805
Miniature by Andrew Robertson exhibited RA 1805 (3) as Lieut.-Col. Commandant of the Law Association London Volunteers, together with several other Commandants of London District, was engraved by Hopwood 1806; a coloured engraving (without letters) shows him whole-length as an elderly man in Law Association uniform.

c.1806
Silhouette by John Field before 1806, Sotheby's 16 October 1978 (118).

1808
Oil by William Russell exhibited RA 1808 (432).

1811
Miniature by George Engleheart exhibited RA 1811 (599).

1815
Marble bust by Nollekens at Windsor Castle, signed and dated 1815, exhibited RA 1815 (888), was mentioned by Farington 14 July 1814.

1816
Miniature by Emma Kendrick exhibited RA 1816 (769).

1817
Oil by S. Drummond exhibited RA 1817 (234) and engraved by Blood for The European Magazine 1 October 1816, head and shoulders wearing Ribbon and Star of Thistle.

Oil attributed to Beechey (see NPG 960).

1820
'The Trial of Queen Caroline 1820' by Hayter (NPG 999).

1821
Oil by Charles Smith exhibited RA 1821 (343).

1823
Oil by William Ross (NPG 960).

Undated
Wax profile by Catherine Andras in V&A Museum (Mary Bate collection); another was sold from the Sir Bruce Ingram collection Sotheby's 30 November 1964 (79) bought Howard.

Oil attributed to Gainsborough was lent to the Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (36) by A. McKay; another type also attributed to Gainsborough was in Sir John Wolfe Murray's collection (Caw, Scottish Portraits, 1903, II, p 79); no Erskine portrait by Gainsborough is recorded elsewhere.

Oil by Jackson was seen by Scharf in 1865 at Grover's, Lincoln's Inn Fields (Sir George Scharf’s Trustees Sketchbooks, X, 10).

Oil attributed to Shee (but too early judging from a photograph) was at Christie's (Captain W. H. France-Hayhurst) 22 December 1949 (74).

Marble bust by Turnerelli in Hull Guildhall.

Posthumous
1830
Statue by Westmacott in Lincoln's Inn, signed and dated 1830.



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.