Charles Talbot, 1st Baron Talbot of Hensol

This portraitback to top

NPG 42 is an indifferent copy of Vanderbank's portrait of the sitter as chancellor, which must have been completed by 1734 when engraved. At Lincoln's Inn there is an oil sketch(?) of the head and shoulders, within an oval, inscribed on the back: Painting for sending to Holland to be engraved by Houbraken. A whole length is in the collection of Lord Dynevor. It was presumably painted for the sitter whose eldest son, William Earl Talbot, was created, 1780, Baron Dinevor. [1] Another is (1970) in the collection of the Earl of Roden, RN. A three-quarter length was lent to the Second Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1867 (253) by Miss Talbot, and another was in the Earl of Shrewsbury's collection, Ingestre (1955), the latter probably by descent from the sitter's younger son John, whose second marriage to the heiress of John Viscount Chetwynd brought the Ingestre estate into the family. [2] Another good example was at Christie's, 30 April 1954, lot 47, as 'Portrait of a Chancellor'; others, probably copies, are at All Souls College, Oxford (there by c.1804 [3]), and at the Inner Temple.

Footnotesback to top

1) With special remainder of the barony to his daughter, Burke, Peerage, 1967, p 836 and note; J. Steegman, A Survey of Portraits in Welsh Houses, 1957-62, II, p 58.
2) Burke, Peerage and Baronetage, 1858, p 976.
3) G. P. Harding, List of Portraits ... in Various Mansions of the United Kingdom ... MS, c.1804, NPG archives, III, p 141. R. L. Poole, Catalogue of Portraits in the Possession of the University, Colleges, City and County of Oxford, 1912-25, II, p 191.

Physical descriptionback to top

Light brown eyes, dark grey brows, grey wig, fresh complexion; black gown with gold lace, his left hand resting on the purse, mace partially seen behind table; red tablecloth, background of light brown masonry.

Conservationback to top

Restored, cleaned three times and varnished twice between 1858 and 1902.

Provenanceback to top

Given 1858 by the Hon. Mrs John Chetwynd Talbot [1] as by Richardson; previous history unknown.

1) Perhaps the widow of John Chetwynd Talbot QC (1806-52), a descendant of the sitter's younger son John; cf Burke, Peerage, 1858, p 976.

Reproductionsback to top

First engraved, in reverse, by Houbraken, lettered ... J. Houbraken sculps. Amst. 1739/In the Possession of the Right Hon: William Lord Talbot ... and published by J. and P. Knapton for Birch's Heads the following year.


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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