John Jervis, Earl of St Vincent

This portraitback to top

Another version, possibly the original of NPG 2222, belonged to one of Beechey's sons and the Admiral's godson, the Rev St Vincent Beechey, and lent by him to Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (76); it was on loan to the NPG from a descendant, St Vincent K. Beechey, from 1946 to 1963 when it was returned to its owner, and is possibly now Government Art Collection (6329) acquired in 1970 from Sir Michael Culme-Seymour. A family theory is that this was Beechey's original portrait, given by St Vincent to his godson, and NPG 2222 a copy by his son George Beechey, but the quality of the painting is quite good enough to be by Beechey himself and in view of the extremely friendly relationship for long existing between the Admiral and the artist's family it seems reasonable to assume that both portraits were by William Beechey.
The type was engraved by Cardon in 1809 and a drawing by Henry Bone in the NPG library (Henry Bone’s annotated pencil drawings for miniatures and enamels, III, 15), intended for an enamel copy for St Vincent himself, with the black coat altered to uniform, is dated Oct [sic] 1810 and was exhibited RA 1810 (653).
Beechey painted 4 types of portrait of St Vincent: (1) National Maritime Museum (59-21) c.1792-3, half-length full-face in rear-admiral's undress uniform (1787-95), Ribbon and Star of KB (not mentioned in W. Roberts, Sir William Beechey R.A., 1907). (2) Guildhall London, mentioned by Farington as 'a Second Portrait' (Diary of Joseph Farington, 27 April 1805) exhibited RA 1805 (200), three-quarter-length in admiral's full-dress uniform (1795-1812), Ribbon and Star of KB, sword held diagonally across left shoulder, left hand on carronade; a copy is in the Crown Estate Commissioners' collection (formerly United Service Club) and another belonged to Admiral Sir William Parker engraved by Cook and used in Tucker's Memoirs of St Vincent, 1844, I, frontispiece. An enamel head and shoulders copy by H. Bone exhibited RA 1805 (430) was made for the Prince of Wales (Henry Bone’s annotated pencil drawings for miniatures and enamels, II, 40); another without the sword, signed and dated London April 1806, was Sotheby's, 1 December 1980 (54). (3) Fishmongers's Company, exhibited RA 1807 (48), and another version in a private collection Kent, whole-length standing in peer's robes over admiral's full-dress uniform, holding a copy of the Naval Abuses Bill, globes and books on table left; mezzotint by Charles Turner 1816 (Alfred Whitman, Charles Turner, 1907, 508, reproduced Evelyn Berckman, Nelson's Dear Lord, 1962, p 84). (4) NPG 2222. This is often described as 'late in life' and in the Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 catalogue as 'upwards of 80', but Cardon's stipple dated 1 March 1809 firmly places him at 74 or less.
Copies of the Guildhall or Fishmonger types were made for various naval establishments. After he had persuaded the King to change the style of the Marines to 'Royal Marines' in view of their magnificent conduct at Copenhagen, the commandants at Portsmouth and Chatham asked him for his portrait for the messes to which he agreed hoping they would approve of Sir William Beechey as artist (Admiral Sir William James, Old Oak, 1950, p 173). Head and shoulders copies are in the Royal Marines Museum Eastney and Bonham's 20 August 1970 (150). Beechey's Accounts for January 1807 refers to a receipt 'of a Mr Desenfans for a portrait of Earl St Vincent £42', his usual price for a head and shoulders until raised to 50 guineas in 1811.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders to right aged about 70, black coat, white shirt-frill, Ribbon and Star of KB; sparse grey hair, lack-lustre eyes, ruddy complexion; crimson curtain background.

Provenanceback to top

The artist and possibly Beechey sale Christie's 11 June 1836 (55), wrongly catalogued as Nelson and bought in for 10½ guineas (W. Roberts, Sir William Beechey R.A., 1907, p 106); bought from Thomas Agnew & Sons 1928.

Reproductionsback to top

(Of the original)
Stipple vignette by Cardon 'From the original Picture by SIR WILLIAM BEECHEY R.A. in his own Possession', published 1 March 1809 and used as a plate in Cadell & Davies, Contemporary Portraits, 1822, II, p 121.


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.

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