Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed crudely top left in white paint: Francis Rawdon Hastings Earl of Moira.

This portraitback to top

The portrait was attributed by the vendor, without evidence, to James Atkinson, but the paint work is coarse and quite unlike Atkinson's normally delicate hand. Furthermore Atkinson is only likely to have met Lord Hastings between 1813 and 1822 in India; he apparently wears the dress uniform of lieutenant-general to which he was promoted in 1798; he became General in 1803. An amateur artist working in about 1800 is therefore the nearest attribution available at present.

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length to left in scarlet uniform with two epaulettes, thick grey hair, blue eyes, pale complexion, blue unshaven jowl; Lady Bessborough's 'black whiskers' are noticeable under the eyes. Label of 'Miller & Co Artists' Materials … Holborn' on the back.

Provenanceback to top

Sold to the NPG by R. D. L. White (of 26 Farm Street) on behalf of a private client, 1934.


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.

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