Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA (1769-1830) Portrait of a gentleman

Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA (1769-1830)

Portrait of a gentleman, believed to be William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington (1763-1845)

Oil on canvas in a period Carlo Maratta frame

76 x 63.5cm; 30 x 25in

Painted c.1810-1815, The stretcher is incised Brown, High Holborn

Provenance:

Entered Christie's London for appraisal 8th March 1921 (541 DH) by Eva Charlotte Yorke Long, Clairville, Wray Common Road, Reigate. Her great grandfather was Edward Bligh (1797-1872) who was the brother-in-law of Helena Paterson/Bligh who became the second wife of the sitter's son, William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 4th Earl of Mornington (1788-1857)

Private English Collection

Private St. Louis Collection, USA who donated in 1970s to:

The H. Leslie Perry Library, Henderson, North Carolina

Private English Collection

William Wellesley-Pole was the brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington and Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley. He was an Anglo-Irish politician and in 1821 was created 1st Baron Maryborough. He held various offices including Master of the Mint and Postmaster-General, he was also Clerk of the Ordnance around the time of the Battle of Trafalgar. On his death in 1845 his son William inherited his titles. Both Wellesley-Pole's brothers had portraits painted by Lawrence.