William Paley

This portraitback to top

According to Paley’s son, NPG 3659 was commissioned by John Law, Bishop of Clonfert, [1] whom Paley had succeeded as Archdeacon of Carlisle in 1782. Sittings are recorded in July and August 1789, but Romney’s diaries show that the portrait was delivered to ‘Mr Law’ in Bloomsbury Square on 24 January 1791 and paid for on 6 April by ‘Ed. Law’, i.e. John’s brother Edward, later 1st Baron Ellenborough. [2]
The slightly incongruous image of a formally-dressed archdeacon fishing was variously explained. Romney’s son said that when Paley first went to sit, accompanied by John Law, then Bishop of Clonfert, his dress being considered unsuitable ‘he was made to put on the Bishop’s hat and coat’; he was then shown with his fishing rod in his hand to indicate ‘his attachment to contemplative amusement’. [3] Paley’s son explained that his father enjoyed fishing ‘to his heart’s content’ at Appleby, Cumbria, where he lived after 1782, and

'it might be probably from his eagerness for this amusement ... that Mr Law struck out his intention of having his picture taken in his fishing trim; but it was not carried into execution till some time after, when Dr Law was advanced to an Irish bishopric. To say nothing of the preposterous figure of a fisherman in a buzz wig and an archdeacon’s hat, which was scarcely worn on state occasions, it is probable that neither Romney, who painted it, nor Dr Law who insisted on having it painted in that guise, knew much of fishing, or recollected how little that very peculiar kind of pike fishing would be recognised on canvas even by fishermen.' [4]
According to the provenance NPG 3659 is Romney's original portrait, but there are two other three-quarter length versions. One was exhibited by the Rev Robert Vanbrugh Law in 1868, [5] and the other, listed by Maxwell and Gower as the original portrait, [6] descended in the Paley family who still owned it in 1924; [7] it was presumably one of these two which was sold at Bonham’s, 24 February 1977, lot 17.
For half-length versions, see NPG 145.

Footnotesback to top

1) E. Paley, William Paley, 1825, p 93.
2) H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, 1904, II, p 116 (sittings on 10, 14, 16, 18, 20, 27 July and 3, 6 August).
3) Rev. John Romney, Memoirs of the Life and Works of George Romney ... also some particulars of the life of Peter Romney, his Brother, 1830, p 212.
4) E. Paley, William Paley, 1825, p 93. Paley’s anecdote of Romney then begrudging the Bishop of Clonfert his purchase was strongly denied by John Romney (Rev. John Romney, Memoirs of the Life and Works of George Romney ... also some particulars of the life of Peter Romney, his Brother, 1830, pp 212-13n).
5) Exhibited Leeds 1868 (3183) illus. E. Hailstone, Portraits of Yorkshire worthies, selected from the National Exhibition of works of art at Leeds, 1969, II, no.168; this exhibition coincided with the Third and concluding exhibition of National Portraits (fortieth year of the reign of George the third to MDCCCLXVII), South Kensington, 1868 exhibition, to which NPG 3659 was lent by the 2nd Lord Ellenborough. R. V. Law (1799-1884) was the 1st Lord Ellenborough’s nephew.
6) H. Maxwell, Romney, 1902, p 186 (295); R. S. Gower, Romney, 1904, p 123 (295).
7) Exhibited RA 1889 (135) lent John Paley; with G. A. Paley (d. 1941), Ampton Hall, 1905 (E. Farrer, Portraits in Suffolk Houses (West), 1908, p 4, no.14, illus. f.p.4); in 1924 J. Sweetland, née Paley, wrote that ‘the original was still in our family’ (letter of 7 August; NPG archive).

Referenceback to top

Ward & Roberts 1904
H. Ward & W. Roberts, Romney, A Biographical and Critical Essay with a Catalogue Rainsonné of his Works, II, p 116.

Physical descriptionback to top

Brown eyes, white powdered wig, wearing black clerical dress; to the left a brown background, with open sky to the right.

Provenanceback to top

Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough (d. 1818); by descent to the 8th Baron Ellenborough; Sotheby’s, 11 June 1947, lot 98; F. B. Daniell, London, from whom purchased 1949.

Exhibitionsback to top

Third and concluding exhibition of National Portraits (fortieth year of the reign of George the third to MDCCCLXVII), South Kensington, 1868 (833) lent by the Earl of Ellenborough.<sup>1

1</sup> Who succeeded as 2nd baron Ellenborough in 1818; created Earl of Ellenborough 1844; d.s.p. 1871, the Earldom becoming extinct.

Reproductionsback to top

J. Jones 1792; R. Graves (bust length); G. B. Shaw (and see NPG 145).


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, 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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