Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough (1750-1818) judge; Chief Justice of the King’s Bench

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

This print, and a plan to republish it after 1809, was discussed in debates over fair copyright procedures during the early 1830s. In 1833 'The Athenaeum' reported:

‘…Lord Ellensborough, having granted permission to Mr. Cribb to publish an engraving from Lawrence’s picture, was subsequently applied to, for like permission, by Mr. Asperne; and his lordship referred Mr. Asperne to Mr. Cribb, to know whether such republication would affect his interest: Mr Cribb thought it would, and his lordship declined, not because he had no 'right', but because he could not, under circumstances, accede to the request with propriety or with honour.’

Sir Thomas Lawrence was born in Bristol; the son of a supervisor of excise. In 1773 the family moved to Wiltshire to run a coaching inn but financial difficulties led them to move again to Bath, where Lawrence first worked as a portraitist. He may have had lessons from William Hoare, before enrolling at the Royal Academy schools in 1787. Aged 20, he received a royal commission for portraits of Queen Charlotte (1789-90) and Princess Amelia (1789). At 23 he replaced Reynolds as Painter-in-Ordinary and at 25, became a Royal Academician. Despite such success, he never escaped crippling debt. In 1815 he was knighted and commissioned to paint the Waterloo Chamber series of portraits. He replaced West as President of the Royal Academy in 1820.
Charles Turner was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire; the son of an excise officer. At a young age he moved to London, where he was apprenticed to engraver John Jones and studied at the Royal Academy schools. He later produced work in mezzotint, aquatint and stipple for publishers in London and Scotland. He also began publishing his own prints in 1796. In 1812 he was appointed Engraver-in-Ordinary to George III. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1828. Throughout his career he is thought to have produced 638 portrait engravings and over 300 subject engravings. These were generally made after works by contemporary artists, such as Raeburn, Lawrence and J. M. W. Turner, with whom the engraver enjoyed a long standing friendship.

People

Edward, 1st Baron Ellenborough Law (1750 - 1818)

Places

Subjects

male portrait, 19th century costume, legal costume, wig, judge, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, curtain, chair

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769 - 1830)
Charles Turner (1774 - 1857)

Title

Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough (1750-1818) judge; Chief Justice of the King’s Bench

Date

published 2 January 1809

Medium

Mezzotint

Dimensions

height: 52.50 cm, width: 37.90 cm

Acquisition

Origin uncertain

GAC number

17214