Charles, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (1738-1805) General

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  • About the work
    Location
    Country: UK
    City: London
    Place: Government Art Collection

    In this full-length depiction the first Marquess Cornwallis is shown in uniform, leaning on a cane. He stands on a battlefield and, in the distance, soldiers march in formation.

    There are three known Daniel Gardner portraits of Cornwallis: a full-length gouache portrait was at Gifford’s Hall, in Suffolk, in 1967; a three-quarter-length version was sold through Christie's, London, in 2000 and a full-length version in pencil, pastel and bodycolour, dated 1782, was sold through Christie’s, London, in 2002. It is the later version which this print, engraved by John Jones, is based on. Another portrait of Cornwallis by Thomas Gainsborough is in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

  • About the artist
    Portrait painter Daniel Gardner was born in Kendal, Westmorland; the son of a master baker. He was taught by painter George Romney and followed Romney to London in 1767/8. He enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools in 1770 and, in 1773, had a drawing accepted for exhibition at the Academy, the only time he ever exhibited. He became a studio assistant to Sir Joshua Reynolds. As well as oil paintings, he also produced pastel group portraits. Gardner accumulated land and property in and around Kendall until his death. He maintained a lasting friendship with landscape painter John Constable, whose portrait he painted in 1796. Late in life he gave up painting to concentrate on money-making ventures. He died in London of a liver complaint, aged 55.
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  • Details
    Title
    Charles, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (1738-1805) General
    Date
    published 6 March 1793
    Medium
    Mezzotint
    Acquisition
    Purchased from F B Daniell & Son, January 1950
    GAC number
    1089