Unknown man, formerly known as Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

This portraitback to top

The early history of this portrait is unknown; the identity and name of the artist were both provided by the vendor. While the features do not absolutely disagree with known portraits of Lytton, the face is broader, and the hair considerably darker, than in most of these, and the general impression is quite different. The attribution to Chalon is not very convincing; an authentic water-colour by him of the same sitter is at Knebworth. Lytton's wife, Rosina, was a close friend of Chalon, and her letters to him have been published, Unpublished Letters of Lady Bulwer Lytton to A. E. Chalon, edited S. M. Ellis (1914).

Physical descriptionback to top

The water-colour is partly unfinished, particularly the figure of the sitter and the dog. Dark hair and whiskers. The Vandyck costume is not coloured. Background colour pale browns and blues.

Provenanceback to top

G. M. Lane, purchased from him, 1897.

Exhibitionsback to top

Amateur Art Exhibition, 105 Piccadilly, 1897 (85).


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 George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton