Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford

This portraitback to top

Despite lack of firm documentary evidence, the authorship and identity of NPG 1808 are almost certainly secure, the style being typical of such portraits as the artist's canvas of his son in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. [1] A drawing in roughly the same pose but slightly different dress in which the sitter appears somewhat older was inscribed by Horace Walpole as drawn from life by George Vertue, 1725. [2] The features in Vertue's drawing are very close to NPG 1808. Sketched by Scharf, 1865, when at Knowsley, [3] it was sold from the library, Christie's, 19 October 1953 and days following, lot 306/6. Hesitancy over identification probably dates from Pennant's account of Dupplin Castle, 1776, when the sitter 'in gown and velvet cap' was listed as 'Robert' Harley, Earl of Oxford, i.e. the 1st Earl. [4] The name was correctly given in Musgrave's list of 1798 [5] but in 1804 [6] appeared again as the 1st Earl ‘Lord Treasurer’ Harley. A three-quarter length at Welbeck (571) in peer's robes with a coronet on a table may relate to NPG 1808 but verification has so far not been possible. This may be the portrait described in 1747 as, 'half length (in Coronation Robes) Edward Harley 2^d Earl of Oxford. Richardson', [7] and in the 1936 catalogue as ‘standing, head turned to the left ...’; the note 'Ld Harley Half Len' in the artist's hand, found among the papers of Edward, the 2nd Earl, may also refer to this portrait. [8] Richardson worked for the 1st Earl of Oxford between 1718 and 1719 and although no direct reference to a portrait of the 2nd Earl is known there is little doubt that he painted both father and son.

Footnotesback to top

1) Exhibited 'Painting and Sculpture in England 1700-1750', Liverpool, 1958 (42); J. F. Kerslake, 'The Richardsons and the Cult of Milton', Burlington Magazine, XCIX, 1957, p 24, note 19.
2) C. K. Adams, annotation in NPG copy of Knowsley sale catalogue.
3) Sir George Scharf's Sketchbooks, LXXIII, p 34a.
4) T. Pennant, A Tour of Scotland, 1776, II, p 83.
5) British Museum Add. MS 6392, f.48.
6) G. P. Harding, List of Portraits ... in Various Mansions of the United Kingdom ... MS, c.1804, MS, II, p 47.
7) R. W. Goulding and C. K. Adams, Catalogue of the Pictures Belonging to His Grace the Duke of Portland ..., 1936, pp 229-30.
8) R. W. Goulding and C. K. Adams, Catalogue of the Pictures Belonging to His Grace the Duke of Portland ..., 1936, p 475.

Physical descriptionback to top

Dark blue eyes, mid-brown eyebrows, small mouth, broad fleshy face, double chin; wine-red velvet gown and matching cap, white shirt open at neck; dark brown background; lit from the left.

Conservationback to top

An old L-shaped tear, right of the head; yellowed varnish, pin holes at corners; cleaned 1918.

Provenanceback to top

Bought, 1918, from Leggatt's; presumably by descent from the sitter's sister Abigail Harley (d. 1750) who married, 1709, George Hay, 8th Earl of Kinnoull (d. 1758); at Christie's, 1 June 1911, lot 31, Earl of Kinnoull sale, bought Agnew; Christie's, 14 December 1917, lot 74, C. Fairfax Murray sale, [1] bought Leggatt.

1) Information, verbal, kindly given by Agnew's, 1969.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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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