George Romney

Commissioned by the sitter for his brother-in-law, William Ogilvie;
By descent to his daughter, Emily Charlotte Ogilvie, who married Charles George Beauclerk;
By descent to their son Aubrey William de Vere Beauclerk (1801-1854);
His sale, Christie's (according to Ward and Roberts), where bought by Lord de Ros;
William Lennox Lascelles FitzGerald de Ros, 23rd Baron de Ros (1797-1874);
Anonymous sale ("The Property of a Lady"), London, Christie's, 20 June 1919, lot 84 (to Agnew for £714);
With Thomas Agnew and Sons, London;
With Knoedler & Company, New York;
Private Collection, New York.

Dublin, Royal Hibernian Academy, Old Masters, 1902 (lent by Lord de Ros).

H. Ward and W. Roberts, Romney, London 1904, p. 131, (2);
To be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of George Romney's paintings by Alex Kidson.

The catalogue illustration is representative, though the colour tone is slightly warmer. The painting appears to be in good condition, with no apparent damage or loss of paint. It has a firm lining, which has slightly pressed the surface, however there is still some good impasto in the white highlights, especially in the sky and in the garter star on his chest. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals a small oblong patch of retouching in the sitter's coat, just below his chin, approximately 1 ½ by 1 in., and two small patches at the top of the garter badge. There are some very minor flecks of retouching in the background, especially along the line of the upper stretcher bar, and in the lower section of the painting, but otherwise it appears to be in largely untouched, original condition. The varnish is clear and the picture is ready to hand. Held in a gilded wooden frame in good overall condition. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The sitter was the son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Lennox (1701-1750) and his wife Sarah (1706-1751), daughter of William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan. In 1757 he married Lady Mary Bruce (1740-1796), daughter and co-heir of Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury and 4th Earl of Elgin, and his wife, Lady Caroline Campbell. An army officer and later radical politician, who was an influential member of Pitt's cabinet, Richmond was also a great patron of the arts - a passion he had developed as a young man. In February 1758, at the age of 23, he was elected a member of the Society of Arts, and served as its Vice-President from 1761 until his death. In the same year he established a sculpture gallery at his house in Whitehall which was open to any artist who wished to study the collection, and in 1770 was donated to the Incorporated Society of Artists for the promotion of artistic study in England. He was an important patron of George Romney, who painted a number of portraits of the Duke, as well as George Stubbs, who painted many scenes of hunting and racing at Goodwood, both pastimes the Duke was particularly enthusiastic about. It was the 3rd Duke who established the famous racecourse at Goodwood, and enstalled heated kennels for his hounds.      

This painting is an autograph version, presented by the sitter to his brother-in-law, of a portrait painted circa 1775-7 (National Portrait Gallery, London). The prototype was much admired by Romney's contemporaries and helped establish his reputation shortly after he moved to London, where he took up residence in Cavendish Square.

We are grateful to Alex Kidson for his assistance in the cataloguing of this lot.