Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds (1751-1799), Foreign Secretary
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
Attributions for the 5th Duke’s portraits have wavered considerably: the NPG West was called Reynolds and Knapton, and versions of the youthful Reynolds were given to Allan Ramsay and Nathaniel Hone.
1764
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, half-length painted oval. Private collection (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1367; Christie’s, 22 April 1983, lot 89). A version (once called Ramsay) from Stanmer Park, sold Christie’s, 17 March 1967, lot 83; another, with a red coat, sold American Art Association 14 January 1938, lot 51, as Nathaniel Hone.
1769
Painting by Benjamin West, half-length painted oval, wearing bands and a nobleman’s blue academic gown with gold facings. Sotheby’s, 17 June 1970, lot 47, and 17 November 1971, lot 77 (H. von Erffa & A. Staley, The Paintings of Benjamin West, 1986, no.600). Carmarthen, as he then was, graduated MA at Christ Church, Oxford, on 30 March 1769. A version, apparently autograph, the hair as in NPG 801, sold Sotheby’s, 18 November 1992, lot 45, from Lord Chichester’s collection (sketched by Scharf at Stanmer Park in 1888; Sir George Scharf's Sketch Books, 117/26). See also NPG 801.
1777-78
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, The Society of Dilettanti.
1796
Painting by Thomas Lawrence, whole-length standing in Garter robes. Formerly at Brocklesby Park, commissioned by the Foreign Office on the resignation of Leeds in 1791 (K. Garlick, Sir Thomas Lawrence: a complete catalogue fo the oil paintings, 1989, no.475). Exhibited RA 1796 (103). Engraved R. M. Meadows 179[7?] (illus. A. Bolton, John Soane, 1927, f.p.90); anon. half length.
Undated
Wax profile by Samuel Percy, in his sale, Christie’s, 31 January 1800 (E. J. Pyke, A Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers, 1973, p 104).
Doubtful Portraits
Miniature by Richard Cosway, and a half-length painting attributed to L. F. Abbott, both in a private collection (formerly E. W. Balfour Melville) and both showing a dark ‘military’ coat with gold-trimmed button holes.
Three watercolour miniatures by William Grimaldi 1789 of Francis Godolphin V Duke of Leeds after Reynolds, half-length oval to right, in a scarlet velvet coat with Garter ribbon (Rev. A. Grimaldi, A Catalogue of Paintings, Drawings & Engravings by and after William Grimaldi, 1873, pp 15, 45) were probably of the 4th Duke who d. 1789 (cf. D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1370).
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.
1764
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, half-length painted oval. Private collection (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1367; Christie’s, 22 April 1983, lot 89). A version (once called Ramsay) from Stanmer Park, sold Christie’s, 17 March 1967, lot 83; another, with a red coat, sold American Art Association 14 January 1938, lot 51, as Nathaniel Hone.
1769
Painting by Benjamin West, half-length painted oval, wearing bands and a nobleman’s blue academic gown with gold facings. Sotheby’s, 17 June 1970, lot 47, and 17 November 1971, lot 77 (H. von Erffa & A. Staley, The Paintings of Benjamin West, 1986, no.600). Carmarthen, as he then was, graduated MA at Christ Church, Oxford, on 30 March 1769. A version, apparently autograph, the hair as in NPG 801, sold Sotheby’s, 18 November 1992, lot 45, from Lord Chichester’s collection (sketched by Scharf at Stanmer Park in 1888; Sir George Scharf's Sketch Books, 117/26). See also NPG 801.
1777-78
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, The Society of Dilettanti.
1796
Painting by Thomas Lawrence, whole-length standing in Garter robes. Formerly at Brocklesby Park, commissioned by the Foreign Office on the resignation of Leeds in 1791 (K. Garlick, Sir Thomas Lawrence: a complete catalogue fo the oil paintings, 1989, no.475). Exhibited RA 1796 (103). Engraved R. M. Meadows 179[7?] (illus. A. Bolton, John Soane, 1927, f.p.90); anon. half length.
Undated
Wax profile by Samuel Percy, in his sale, Christie’s, 31 January 1800 (E. J. Pyke, A Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers, 1973, p 104).
Doubtful Portraits
Miniature by Richard Cosway, and a half-length painting attributed to L. F. Abbott, both in a private collection (formerly E. W. Balfour Melville) and both showing a dark ‘military’ coat with gold-trimmed button holes.
Three watercolour miniatures by William Grimaldi 1789 of Francis Godolphin V Duke of Leeds after Reynolds, half-length oval to right, in a scarlet velvet coat with Garter ribbon (Rev. A. Grimaldi, A Catalogue of Paintings, Drawings & Engravings by and after William Grimaldi, 1873, pp 15, 45) were probably of the 4th Duke who d. 1789 (cf. D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1370).
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.