Thomas Bloodworth; Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales

Inscriptionback to top

Signed bottom left on a stone: B Dandridge pt.

This portraitback to top

This may be the picture engraved by Faber junior in 1740 for his brother freemasons from the Original in the Possession of the Rt Honble William Harrington or the one noted by Vertue, March 1732: 'Mr. Dandridge Drew the picture of the Prince of Wales. has sat for it. 3 times at whole length. also is to draw him on horseback for Lord Barington. (which is done) the picture of the face which is yet only done is vastly like. and by ye Prince and others thought to be the most striking likeness yet done'. [1] No picture answering the description was sold in the property of Lord Harrington deceased, Christie's, 30-31 March 1781, [2] and there is no known sale of Barrington pictures. Nor is there any apparent connection of either peer with the Prince. No other version of NPG 1164 is reported. The attendant may be the same as in an equestrian portrait by Wootton at Drumlanrig Castle, formerly at Kinmount, [3] where an early or contemporary inscription identifies the figure as Thomas Bloodworth, the Prince's groom of the bedchamber, 1731-35. This would seem confirmed by the inscription on the version at Blaston, collection Colonel T. H. Lloyd. Bloodworth is also thought to appear in a sketch by Wootton at Windsor [4] but in the finished painting by this artist and Hogarth (O. Millar, 'Notes on the Royal Collection - I’, Burlington Magazine, CIII, 1961, 555, pl.205) the corresponding figure may in fact be Lord Boston. There are no single portraits of Boston. He appears, with his key of office, in Vanloo's painting of Augusta and her family (O. Millar, 'Notes on the Royal Collection - I’, Burlington Magazine, CIII, 1961, 538, pl.191). There is little resemblance, however, between this long-faced man and the second figure in NPG 1164.

Footnotesback to top

1) G. Vertue, Vertue Note Books (edited by The Earl of Ilchester), Walpole Society, III, p 57; 'Barington' (sic) in the MS refers presumably to John, 1st Viscount Barrington (1678-1734).
2) F. Lugt, Repertoire des Catalogues de Ventes, 1600, I, 3244; this would be William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington, 1719-79.
3) Drumlanrig catalogue, 1909 (7).
4) A. P. Oppé, English Drawings ... at Windsor Castle, 1950, pp 104-05 (691), pl.104.

Physical descriptionback to top

Whitish eyebrows, prominent large blue eyes, wide mouth, a mole on the left of his chin, white wig with flowing tail; black hat edged with silver lace, scarlet jacket and breeches, buff waistcoat, white lace shirt ruffle, Garter star and ribbon, light brown gauntlets and black riding boots; mounted on a bay stallion with steaming breath, green saddle cloth and pistol cloth with a crown; a groom (?) in blue jacket with gold lace and scarlet cuffs, stands left; a church spire seen across water or mist, right; blue sky with red tones low on the horizon; brown and green foliage, left; lit from the left.

Conservationback to top

Pentimenti along the right outline of rider and horse; discoloured varnish; black horizontals around the bridge of the nose due perhaps to an old damage; minor retouchings, pin marks in corners; surface cleaned and varnished, 1898.

Provenanceback to top

Bought, 1898, from C. E. Hopgood & Co, an Acton dealer, by whom offered as George II.

Reproductionsback to top

Engraved by Faber junior, 1740 (F. O'Donoghue and Sir Henry M. Hake, Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits ... in the British Museum, 1908-25, 4).


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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.

View all known portraits for Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales