Portrait of Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby, small half-length, in a pale green coat and white stock

Hugh Douglas Hamilton moved to London in 1764 where he remained until he travelled to Italy in 1779. During this time he executed a large number of oval pastel portraits for London society. Hamilton visited Knowsley, the seat of the Earls of Derby, in 1773, where he executed several portraits, and it is likely that the present drawing dates from this trip. As well as the 11th Earl (1689-1776) depicted here, he also drew the 12th Earl, Edward Smith-Stanley (1752-1834), and his younger brother Major Thomas Stanley (1753-1779). Both drawings are dated 1773 and remain at Knowsley. Their sisters, Hon. Elizabeth Stanley, later Lady Horton (d. 1796) was also drawn by Hamilton (now lost), and Hon. Lucy and her husband The Rev. Geoffrey Hornby, sat to Hamilton twice for pendant portraits (private collection and Sotheby’s, London, 24 September 1997, lot 446).

We are grateful to Hugh Belsey for his help in identifying the sitter.