George Romney

This handsome portrait of a gentleman by George Romney is thought to have been painted early in the artist's career during one of two trips he took to his native region of Kendal and Lancaster in 1765 and 1767. While on these excursions, Romney documented the portraits he painted in a notebook, now housed in the National Art Library in London. Forty-seven sitters are listed and described; however, scholars consider this listing to be incomplete, making the positive identification of sitters from this period nearly impossible in some cases.

Thanks to the thorough biographical research previously undertaken by Helen Quartermaine and Alex Kidson, the identity of the sitter in this portrait has been narrowed to a few possibilities. The leading candidate, William Suddel (1729-1785), was born and christened in Lancaster and held various local elected positions throughout his lifetime, most notably serving as school governor. The hypothesis that the sitter is Suddel is supported by details found in the portrait: the inclusion of books on the table suggests intellectualism, his dress is associated with that of an established gentleman, and he appears to be the correct age for Suddel in this period.