Sir Thomas Munro, 1st Bt

This portraitback to top

Munro and his family arrived home in June 1819. He was promoted Major-General in August, accepted the Governorship of Madras and was appointed KCB November 1819, re-embarking for India in December. It was presumably during these six months that Shee painted the NPG portraits, probably for Munro himself, exhibiting them at the RA in 1820. NPG 3124 was extended into the magnificent whole-length with sword, map of India, despatch box and a book on the table inscribed: MAS 1828, painted for the Town Hall of Madras and exhibited RA 1829 (167); several copies are mentioned in Hunter, Sir Thomas Munro, 1894, p 212. The head and shoulders and uniform were adapted by Reinagle for the bombastic whole-length in the Oriental Club, London.

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length to left in major-general's uniform, Star and Badge of KCB, Army Gold Medal with Seringapatam clasp, aigrette of a type used 1811-28; grey hair, blue eyes, dark complexion; plain drab background.

Provenanceback to top

Family possession until Torquil Munro sale Christie's 25 September 1942 (74) bought Frost & Reed and bought from them October 1942.

Exhibitionsback to top

RA 1820 (341); 'Scottish Exhibition' Glasgow 1911 lent by Sir Campbell Munro.

Reproductionsback to top

A magnificent whole-length mezzotint by Samuel Cousins was published in 1830 (Alfred Whitman, Samuel Cousins, 1904, 114); half-length stipple by Meyer, probably from NPG 3124, was published in Jerdan's National Portrait Gallery, 1830.


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 Sir Martin Archer Shee