Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)

Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769 - 1830)
George Raphael Ward (1798 - 1878)

Mezzotint

published 25 January 1839

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Image of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
  • About the work
    Location
    Country: UK
    City: London
    Place: Downing Street
  • About the artist
    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.
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    Arthur, 1st Duke of Wellington Wellesley (1769 - 1852)
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    Materials & Techniques
  • Details
    Artist
    Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769 - 1830)
    George Raphael Ward (1798 - 1878)
    Title
    Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
    Edition
    proof
    Date
    published 25 January 1839
    Medium
    Mezzotint
    Acquisition
    Bequeathed by Sir Edward Walter Hamilton, 1908
    Provenance
    Bequeathed to 10 Downing Street by Sir Edward Walter Hamilton, 1908
    GAC number
    0/20/29