Charles Inglis

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated in faint grey paint on arm of chair lower right: R. Field 1810.

This portraitback to top

Charles Inglis spent much of his working life in America but his loyalty to the British Crown during the War of Independence earned him inclusion in the Act of Attainder and both he and his wife were declared guilty of high treason and banished on pain of death. They emigrated to Nova Scotia, Inglis being appointed the first Protestant Bishop of a British colony in 1787 and in 1809 becoming a Member of Council. Robert Field trained in London at the Royal Academy and also worked in America but because of growing nationalism moved to Nova Scotia in 1808 where he soon settled into the more sophisticated environment. Miss Hoskins says that his understanding of the English grand manner is at its finest in the portrait of Bishop Inglis.

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length in white rochet, black scarf; holding mortar board, seated in a red upholstered armchair, right hand on table with green cloth and paper inscribed This is a fact that Christ Jesus [died] to save [sinners]; books to left including works by Boyle, Warburton, Lowth, Porteous, and Walton's Polyglot Bible; grey wig, light brown eyes, rosy complexion; red curtain background.

Provenanceback to top

Given by his grandson Captain Thomas Cochran Inglis (Rifle Brigade) 1895.

Exhibitionsback to top

Second Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1867 (825) lent by T. C. Inglis; 'Masterpieces of Canadian Art', Ottawa, 1967-8 (143); 'Church Disestablishment', Dublin, 1970 (49); 'Robert Field', Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1978 (17).

Reproductionsback to top

A mezzotint and a small steel engraving are believed to exist but not in British Museum or NPG (letter in NPG archive).


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 Charles Inglis