Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough

Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough, by Frederick Richard Say, circa 1845 -NPG 1805 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough

by Frederick Richard Say
circa 1845
56 in. x 44 in. (1422 mm x 1118 mm)
NPG 1805

This portraitback to top

Ellenborough is shown with the star and ribbon of the Bath, awarded him in 1844. On the evidence of costume and the apparent age of the sitter the portrait must date from soon after this. It was apparently commissioned by Peel for his 'Statesmen's Gallery', which included several other portraits by Say, including one of the Earl of Derby (NPG 1806). A copy by Dyer is in the Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta, commissioned by Lord Curzon. A miniature copy was sold from the collection of the Earl of Ellenborough, Sotheby's, II June 1947 (lot 51).

Physical descriptionback to top

Healthy complexion, brown eyes and hair. Dressed in a white stock, white shirt, dark morning coat and trousers, with a red ribbon and jewelled star. Background colour brown.

Provenanceback to top

Sir Robert Peel; sale of Peel Heirlooms, Robinson, Fisher and Harding, 6 December 1917 (lot 68), bought H. G. Boston, and presented by him, 1918.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, 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 Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough