Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
Edward Thurlow, Baron Thurlow (1731-1806), Lord Chancellor
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
1773
Miniature by John Smart (D. Foskett, John Smart, 1964, p 74). An unattributed ivory miniature of Thurlow was exhibited SKM 1865 (372) lent by the Rev Edward Thurlow.
Engraving by R. Stewart, bust-length oval profile, in judicial wig.
1779-81
Painting by J. S. Copley, The Death of Chatham.
1781
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated as lord chancellor. Longleat (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1751). Exhibited RA 1782 (158), Second special exhibition of National Portraits (William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867 (637). Engraved F. Bartolozzi 1782, L. Schiavonetti 1796, S. W. Reynolds, and many small derivations. A miniature bust-length version in a private collection and weak versions sold Christie’s NY, 22 March 1978, lot 79, and Sotheby’s, NY, 15 October 1987, lot 72; a copy by Dorofield Hardy c.1911 in the Carlton Club.
Anon. engraving, bust length in dark legal dress with bands and wide cap, pub. E. Hedges.
c.1781
Painting by George Romney, whole-length standing in chancellor’s robes. Christie’s, 27 October 1961, lot 52, from Dunrobin Castle. Engraved W. Dickinson 1800. A reduced version, formerly with Thomas Johnes at Hafod, is presumed to have been destroyed in the fire of 1807; a small tinted drawing by Romney of the head, copied from the Dunrobin picture, was given to Sir Richard Jebb.
Another Romney type, tentatively identified as Thurlow, half length, wearing a short white wig, sold Christie’s, 31 January 1975, lot 214.
Thurlow sat 24 times to Romney between November 1780 and January 1784 (H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, 1904, II, p.157) and towards the end of his life he recalled that ‘at one time there were two factions contending for superiority; the Reynolds faction, and the Romney faction: I was of the Romney faction’ (Farington, Reynolds, 1819, pp 90-91).
1783
Wax medallion by Robert Stewart, exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1783 (308).
c.1784
Painting by George Romney, whole-length seated in chancellor’s robes. Palace of Westminster, from Lord Kenyon.
1789-91
Caricatures: by J. Sayers dating mostly from 1789. The most celebrated caricature to include Thurlow was probably James Gillray’s Weird Sisters of 1791 (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 7937).
1789
Medal by Thomas Wyon sr. (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.331).
c.1791?
Drawing by W. H. Brown (fl. 1790-91), half length in civilian dress, engraved J. Hopwood.
1792
Painting by Samuel Collings, half length, wearing dark legal dress with wide hat, engraved J. Condé 1792 with arms and motto (ar., on a chev. betw. two chevronels sa. three portcullises with chains and rings of the field; JUSTITIAE SOROR FIDES).
c.1792
Anon. etching, bust length in legal dress with wide hat.
1795
Anon. half-length oval engraving, civilian dress, short wig, with arms and motto (see 1792 above).
1797
Bust by Thomas Hayley (W. Hayley, A Life of George Romney, 1809, p 269).
before 1800
Wax by Samuel Percy. Brighton Art Gallery (C.288 frame 2). An example in the Percy sale, Christie’s, 31 January 1800.
c.1800
Painting by John Hoppner, ‘at an advanced age’ (Farington, Reynolds, 1819, p 90), Hoppner sale, Christie’s, 31 May 1823, lot 29 (with four other portraits).
1801
Bust by J. C. Rossi, see NPG 5238.
1802
Painting by Thomas Phillips, exhibited RA 1802 (350), see NPG 1264.
1803
Painting by Thomas Lawrence, three-quarter length seated. Royal Collection (Sir Oliver Millar, The Later Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, I, 1969, no.914, pl.189; K. Garlick, Sir Thomas Lawrence: a complete catalogue of the oil paintings, 1989, no.766). Exhibited RA 1803 (21). See NPG 395.
1805
Wax medallion by Catherine Andras, exhibited RA 1805 (762). Examples in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (Pyke Bequest 1997) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (A.119.1965; A.136.1965).
1806-08
Paintings by Thomas Phillips, see NPG 249 and NPG 1264.
Posthumous
1809
Bust by J. C. Rossi, see NPG 5238.
1830
Bust by J. E. Carew, mentioned in the case the sculptor brought against the executors of the 3rd Earl of Egremont (R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1968 ed., p 80).
Doubtful Portraits
A marble bas-relief, half length as Lord Chancellor, in the collection of Lady Rockley 1937, probably shows Lord Camden.
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.
Miniature by John Smart (D. Foskett, John Smart, 1964, p 74). An unattributed ivory miniature of Thurlow was exhibited SKM 1865 (372) lent by the Rev Edward Thurlow.
Engraving by R. Stewart, bust-length oval profile, in judicial wig.
1779-81
Painting by J. S. Copley, The Death of Chatham.
1781
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length seated as lord chancellor. Longleat (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1751). Exhibited RA 1782 (158), Second special exhibition of National Portraits (William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867 (637). Engraved F. Bartolozzi 1782, L. Schiavonetti 1796, S. W. Reynolds, and many small derivations. A miniature bust-length version in a private collection and weak versions sold Christie’s NY, 22 March 1978, lot 79, and Sotheby’s, NY, 15 October 1987, lot 72; a copy by Dorofield Hardy c.1911 in the Carlton Club.
Anon. engraving, bust length in dark legal dress with bands and wide cap, pub. E. Hedges.
c.1781
Painting by George Romney, whole-length standing in chancellor’s robes. Christie’s, 27 October 1961, lot 52, from Dunrobin Castle. Engraved W. Dickinson 1800. A reduced version, formerly with Thomas Johnes at Hafod, is presumed to have been destroyed in the fire of 1807; a small tinted drawing by Romney of the head, copied from the Dunrobin picture, was given to Sir Richard Jebb.
Another Romney type, tentatively identified as Thurlow, half length, wearing a short white wig, sold Christie’s, 31 January 1975, lot 214.
Thurlow sat 24 times to Romney between November 1780 and January 1784 (H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, 1904, II, p.157) and towards the end of his life he recalled that ‘at one time there were two factions contending for superiority; the Reynolds faction, and the Romney faction: I was of the Romney faction’ (Farington, Reynolds, 1819, pp 90-91).
1783
Wax medallion by Robert Stewart, exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1783 (308).
c.1784
Painting by George Romney, whole-length seated in chancellor’s robes. Palace of Westminster, from Lord Kenyon.
1789-91
Caricatures: by J. Sayers dating mostly from 1789. The most celebrated caricature to include Thurlow was probably James Gillray’s Weird Sisters of 1791 (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 7937).
1789
Medal by Thomas Wyon sr. (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.331).
c.1791?
Drawing by W. H. Brown (fl. 1790-91), half length in civilian dress, engraved J. Hopwood.
1792
Painting by Samuel Collings, half length, wearing dark legal dress with wide hat, engraved J. Condé 1792 with arms and motto (ar., on a chev. betw. two chevronels sa. three portcullises with chains and rings of the field; JUSTITIAE SOROR FIDES).
c.1792
Anon. etching, bust length in legal dress with wide hat.
1795
Anon. half-length oval engraving, civilian dress, short wig, with arms and motto (see 1792 above).
1797
Bust by Thomas Hayley (W. Hayley, A Life of George Romney, 1809, p 269).
before 1800
Wax by Samuel Percy. Brighton Art Gallery (C.288 frame 2). An example in the Percy sale, Christie’s, 31 January 1800.
c.1800
Painting by John Hoppner, ‘at an advanced age’ (Farington, Reynolds, 1819, p 90), Hoppner sale, Christie’s, 31 May 1823, lot 29 (with four other portraits).
1801
Bust by J. C. Rossi, see NPG 5238.
1802
Painting by Thomas Phillips, exhibited RA 1802 (350), see NPG 1264.
1803
Painting by Thomas Lawrence, three-quarter length seated. Royal Collection (Sir Oliver Millar, The Later Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, I, 1969, no.914, pl.189; K. Garlick, Sir Thomas Lawrence: a complete catalogue of the oil paintings, 1989, no.766). Exhibited RA 1803 (21). See NPG 395.
1805
Wax medallion by Catherine Andras, exhibited RA 1805 (762). Examples in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (Pyke Bequest 1997) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (A.119.1965; A.136.1965).
1806-08
Paintings by Thomas Phillips, see NPG 249 and NPG 1264.
Posthumous
1809
Bust by J. C. Rossi, see NPG 5238.
1830
Bust by J. E. Carew, mentioned in the case the sculptor brought against the executors of the 3rd Earl of Egremont (R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1968 ed., p 80).
Doubtful Portraits
A marble bas-relief, half length as Lord Chancellor, in the collection of Lady Rockley 1937, probably shows Lord Camden.
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.