Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan

This portraitback to top

The original wax mould in the Wedgwood Museum, Barlaston, is illustrated in Henry Barnard's Wedgwood bicentenary article in Connoisseur, LXXXV, May 1930, p 295 together with Admirals Nelson and St Vincent. The medallion is a standard item in a very popular set, though Tassie had already produced a similar profile from a sitting in 1797, with the hair smoother, the Ribbon of St Alexander Nevski, and an inscription on the shoulder; this was engraved by Ridley for The European Magazine, February 1798. De Vaere's medallion is a more forceful and convincing portrait.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders to left in admiral's full-dress uniform, Star of St Alexander Nevski (no Ribbon), large Naval Gold Medal for Camperdown; hair unruly and tied in a queue.

Provenanceback to top

Alan Evans bequest (1974) to the National Gallery and placed on permanent loan to the NPG.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, 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 Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan