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Sir William Blake Richmond

1 of 16 portraits of Sir William Blake Richmond

Sir William Blake Richmond, by Unknown artist, 1869? -NPG 2779a - © National Portrait Gallery, London

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Sir William Blake Richmond

by Unknown artist
Oil on canvas, 1869?
20 1/2 in. x 14 7/8 in. (520 mm x 378 mm)
NPG 2779a

Inscriptionback to top

Initialled and dated in red paint, lower left-hand corner: ‘TH [?] / 1869 [?]’.
Stamp on back of canvas: ‘PREPARED BY / WINSOR & NEWTON / 38 RATHBONE PLACE / LONDON’.

This portraitback to top

This portrait (prudently referred to as ‘the canvas’ in National Portrait Gallery correspondence) was offered by its owner, Miss Caroline Ediss, in 1935:

I found this portrait of G.F. Watts or maybe Sir William Richmond. Its rather spoilt for public exhibition by the picture of the gentleman in a coronet on the Eastle [sic]. I was tempted to paint that out – for it is I think a skit on Tennyson by his friends. Should the gallery care to acquire it – a modest sum – would meet the occasion […] I could touch out the chips and mend the 2 tears if required.[1]

Miss Ediss accepted Henry Hake’s offer of a pound (payable by postal order) on 4 September 1935.

The portrait was not put to the Trustees, and not cited in the 79th Annual Report (1935–6). It was first listed (unillustrated) in the Complete Illustrated Catalogue (1981). Crudely painted and damaged, it remains in the same unexhibitable condition as when acquired. The head does appear to be a portrait of Richmond.

Carol Blackett-Ord

Footnotesback to top

1) Letter from Caroline (Carrie) Ediss to Henry Hake, 17 Aug. 1935, NPG RP 2779a. The offer to the NPG was no.175/1935.

Physical descriptionback to top

Whole-length figure in a smock, seated to left, facing cartoon on easel, palette and maulstick in left hand, green screen in background.

Provenanceback to top

Purchased from Miss Caroline Ediss, 1935.

Reproductionsback to top

No where reproduced.

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