Sir John Gurney; Charles James Blomfield; Henry Edward Manning

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Sir John Gurney; Charles James Blomfield; Henry Edward Manning

by George Richmond
pen and ink, circa 1840-1845
9 in. x 7 1/2 in. (227 mm x 190 mm)
Given by Sir Geoffrey Langdon Keynes, 1960
Primary Collection
NPG 4166

Sittersback to top

Artistback to top

  • George Richmond (1809-1896), Portrait painter and draughtsman; son of Thomas Richmond. Artist or producer associated with 337 portraits, Sitter in 14 portraits.

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Foister, Susan, Cardinal Newman 1801-90, 1990 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 2 March - 20 May 1990), p. 42 Read entry

    The drawing is inscribed by Richmond with the names of Gurney and Manning; the third figure is identified only as an unnamed Bishop of London and the location as Fulham Palace, official residence of the Bishop of London. Gurney, described here as 'baron', held the post of Baron of the Exchequer up to his death in 1845. Manning, described as Archdeacon, became Archdeacon of Chichester in 1840. All three men sat to Richmond for their portraits: this sketch presumably was the result of a sitting with at least one of them. The drawing must therefore date to between 1840 and 1845, and the Bishop must be Blomfield. Sir John Gurney sat to Richmond in 1844, Manning in 1845, therefore the period 1844-5 is the most probable date.

    At this period Blomfield was much concerned with the effect of Newman's Tract XC and the series of conversions which took place prior to Newman's, and Manning had spoken against Tract XC. Richmond's sketch gives a vivid impression of a pair of Anglican clerics engaged in close discussion.

  • Ormond, Richard, Early Victorian Portraits, 1973, p. 41
  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 719

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1840back to top

Current affairs

Victoria marries her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; he is given the title of Prince Consort.
The Penny Black stamp is introduced by Rowland Hill; the first pre-paid, self-adhesive stamp, it marks the start of the modern postal system.
The start of the Irish potato famine, which by the time of its peak in 1851, had caused the deaths of one million, and contributed to the sharp rise of emigration from Ireland to England and America.

Art and science

Beau Brummel, the fashion leader responsible for sparking the culture of 'Dandyism', dies of syphilis.
The first stone is laid on the new Houses of Parliament, based on the gothic designs by the architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. The old buildings had burned down in 1834, following a blaze caused by burning wooden tallies used by the Exchequer to calculate tax.

International

The Afghans surrender to Britain during the Afghan-British war (1839-42). The war was sparked by British fear over Russian influence in Afghanistan, with the British East India Company resolving to depose the Afghan leader, Dost Muhammad, who was insistent on Afghan independence, and restore the former leader Shoja Shah.
The Maoris yield sovereignty of New Zealand under the Treaty of Waitangi.

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