Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Inscriptionback to top

Incised on the back: J. FRANCIS SC./LONDON 1852.

This portraitback to top

Francis exhibited busts of the Duke, RA 1830, 1832, 1838 and 1853. One is at Woburn, another in the Earl of Jersey's collection, both signed and dated 1830. A copy by Francis of the Nollekens bust is at Stratfield Saye. NPG 218 had been previously offered to the Gallery by Miss Francis in July 1862; it was declined and acquired later from Radcliffe who believed 'it was taken from life'.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders in peer's robes, Ribbon of KG and Ribbon and Badge of Golden Fleece; eyeballs drilled, eyebrows bushy, hair flowing, whiskers trimmed short, ear-lobe is noticeably unusual.

Provenanceback to top

The sculptor and bought from his executors by E. W. Radcliffe, 123 Pall Mall in 1862; bought by the NPG from him 1866.

Exhibitionsback to top

RA 1853 (1406).


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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