Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (1737-1805), Prime Minister and patron of the arts
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
1764
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated at table. National Museum, Havana (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1439).
1766
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 43.
1778
Sihouette sent by Shelburne to the Abbé Morellet, with others of Dunning (Lord Ashburton), Col. Barré and Townsend (Lettres de Morellet, ed. D. Medlin & J-C. David, I, 1992, pp 387, 425).
1779-81
Painting by J. S. Copley, The Death of Chatham.
1780
Anon. engraving, bust-length oval profile, as Lord Shelburne within an elaborate surround; a similar, but reversed, print published 1780.
c.1780?
Anon. engraving, bust-length oval profile, with pig tail, without Garter insignia, as Earl of Shelburne.
1782
Etching by J. Sayers, whole-length standing with ribbon of the Garter (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, 1935-1942, V, 6062).
c.1784
Painting by Gilbert Stuart, being sought by J. M. Gérard de Rayneval late in 1784 (Lettres de Morellet, ed. D. Medlin & J-C. David, I, 1992, pp 549, 552) and listed among Stuart’s portraits in The World, 18 April 1787 (W. T. Whitley, Gilbert Stuart, 1932, p 60). A half-length oval, wearing a red/brown coat with powdered hair was sold from Burley-on-the-Hill, Christie’s, 20 June 1947, lot 90, as Lansdowne by Stuart. On his first visit to Stuart’s studio the painter concluded ‘from his shabby black dress and respectful politeness’ that Lansdowne was ‘some poet or author from Grubb Street’ (R. McLanathan, Gilbert Stuart, 1986, p 55). In 1796 Lansdowne received the celebrated whole-length portrait of Washington by Stuart, known as the Lansdowne portrait, see Washington.
1787-88
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated in peer’s robes, with Col. Barré (centre) and Lord Ashburton (left), see Ashburton. Enamel copy of the figure of Lansdowne by Henry Bone exhibited RA 1807 (739), examples in Royal Collection (R. J. B. Walker, The eighteenth and early nineteenth century Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1992, no.780), and at Meickleour House (preparatory drawings in the NPG Bone albums; R. Walker, 'Henry Bone's Pencil Drawings in the National Portrait Gallery', Wal. Soc., LXI, 1999, nos.307-08). A copy of the figure of Lansdowne alone was formerly at Holland House (cat., 1904, no.142).
c.1787
Painting by Thomas Gainsborough, half-length oval with ribbon and badge of the Garter. Probably sent to France in 1787 (E. K. Waterhouse, Gainsborough, 1958, no.428). Engraved F. Bartolozzi, Gainsborough considering the plate did not show Lansdowne’s ‘cheerful Countenance’, making it ‘long instead of round’ (J. Hayes ed., Gainsborough Letters, 2001, pp 167-68, illus.); Kennerley 1805. Copy at Hughenden Manor (Disraeli had regarded Lansdowne as a ‘most accomplished statesman’); another sold Sotheby’s, 23 November 1973, lot 38.
1791
Painting by J. L. Mosnier, three-quarter length seated in a general’s uniform with Garter ribbon, the lesser George tied to his sash; a letter in his left hand addressed to His Excellency Lt General Baron de Schlaffen Governor of Wesel ... Lansdowne. Bowood, ex-Meikleour House. Lansdowne corresponded with Baron von Schlieffen, who was ambassador in London in 1789, from 1760.
Drawing by W. H. Brown, bust-length oval with Garter badge; engraved C. T. Warren (The Senator).
1794
Etching by J. Sayers, caricature bust, inscribed: Chauvelin (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 8456), on comparison with the Jacobin ci-devant marquis de Chauvelin.
1796
Drawing by Henry Edridge, three-quarter length seated at table. formerly at Holland House; one of the five friends of Fox by Edridge from the St Anne’s Hill sale, Phillips, 3rd day, 26 November 1924, lots 505-507. Presumably the portrait by Edridge exhibited RA 1797 (521).
1798
Engraving by W. Ridley, half-length oval with Garter ribbon and star.
c.1800
Unattributed painting, three-quarter length seated in a library with Garter ribbon and star. William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, presented by the 6th Marquess of Lansdowne.
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.
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated at table. National Museum, Havana (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1439).
1766
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 43.
1778
Sihouette sent by Shelburne to the Abbé Morellet, with others of Dunning (Lord Ashburton), Col. Barré and Townsend (Lettres de Morellet, ed. D. Medlin & J-C. David, I, 1992, pp 387, 425).
1779-81
Painting by J. S. Copley, The Death of Chatham.
1780
Anon. engraving, bust-length oval profile, as Lord Shelburne within an elaborate surround; a similar, but reversed, print published 1780.
c.1780?
Anon. engraving, bust-length oval profile, with pig tail, without Garter insignia, as Earl of Shelburne.
1782
Etching by J. Sayers, whole-length standing with ribbon of the Garter (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, 1935-1942, V, 6062).
c.1784
Painting by Gilbert Stuart, being sought by J. M. Gérard de Rayneval late in 1784 (Lettres de Morellet, ed. D. Medlin & J-C. David, I, 1992, pp 549, 552) and listed among Stuart’s portraits in The World, 18 April 1787 (W. T. Whitley, Gilbert Stuart, 1932, p 60). A half-length oval, wearing a red/brown coat with powdered hair was sold from Burley-on-the-Hill, Christie’s, 20 June 1947, lot 90, as Lansdowne by Stuart. On his first visit to Stuart’s studio the painter concluded ‘from his shabby black dress and respectful politeness’ that Lansdowne was ‘some poet or author from Grubb Street’ (R. McLanathan, Gilbert Stuart, 1986, p 55). In 1796 Lansdowne received the celebrated whole-length portrait of Washington by Stuart, known as the Lansdowne portrait, see Washington.
1787-88
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated in peer’s robes, with Col. Barré (centre) and Lord Ashburton (left), see Ashburton. Enamel copy of the figure of Lansdowne by Henry Bone exhibited RA 1807 (739), examples in Royal Collection (R. J. B. Walker, The eighteenth and early nineteenth century Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1992, no.780), and at Meickleour House (preparatory drawings in the NPG Bone albums; R. Walker, 'Henry Bone's Pencil Drawings in the National Portrait Gallery', Wal. Soc., LXI, 1999, nos.307-08). A copy of the figure of Lansdowne alone was formerly at Holland House (cat., 1904, no.142).
c.1787
Painting by Thomas Gainsborough, half-length oval with ribbon and badge of the Garter. Probably sent to France in 1787 (E. K. Waterhouse, Gainsborough, 1958, no.428). Engraved F. Bartolozzi, Gainsborough considering the plate did not show Lansdowne’s ‘cheerful Countenance’, making it ‘long instead of round’ (J. Hayes ed., Gainsborough Letters, 2001, pp 167-68, illus.); Kennerley 1805. Copy at Hughenden Manor (Disraeli had regarded Lansdowne as a ‘most accomplished statesman’); another sold Sotheby’s, 23 November 1973, lot 38.
1791
Painting by J. L. Mosnier, three-quarter length seated in a general’s uniform with Garter ribbon, the lesser George tied to his sash; a letter in his left hand addressed to His Excellency Lt General Baron de Schlaffen Governor of Wesel ... Lansdowne. Bowood, ex-Meikleour House. Lansdowne corresponded with Baron von Schlieffen, who was ambassador in London in 1789, from 1760.
Drawing by W. H. Brown, bust-length oval with Garter badge; engraved C. T. Warren (The Senator).
1794
Etching by J. Sayers, caricature bust, inscribed: Chauvelin (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 8456), on comparison with the Jacobin ci-devant marquis de Chauvelin.
1796
Drawing by Henry Edridge, three-quarter length seated at table. formerly at Holland House; one of the five friends of Fox by Edridge from the St Anne’s Hill sale, Phillips, 3rd day, 26 November 1924, lots 505-507. Presumably the portrait by Edridge exhibited RA 1797 (521).
1798
Engraving by W. Ridley, half-length oval with Garter ribbon and star.
c.1800
Unattributed painting, three-quarter length seated in a library with Garter ribbon and star. William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, presented by the 6th Marquess of Lansdowne.
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.