Portrait of Sir John Conroy, 1st Bt. (1786-1854), three-quarter-length, in the uniform of the Royal Artillery, holding a plumed helmet in his right hand, by a pillar

Details

Henry William Pickersgill, R.A. (London 1782-1875)
Portrait of Sir John Conroy, 1st Bt. (1786-1854), three-quarter-length, in the uniform of the Royal Artillery, holding a plumed helmet in his right hand, by a pillar
with an extensive old handwritten biographical inscription listing the sitter's various Orders 'Sir John Conroy, Bart, Pickersgill Pinxit Knight Commander, of the Guelphic, Order, Knight Commander of St Bento, D., airs of Portugal, Grand Cross, of the Saxon Order, of Ernestine Grand Cross of the tower & Sword of Portugal. Nat. 1876. Ob. 1854. etc.' (on back of canvas)
oil on canvas
56 x 44 in. (142.4 x 111.4 cm.)

Provenance

Sir John Ponsonby Conroy, 1st Bt.
Sir Edward Conroy, 2nd Bt.

Literature

Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, London 1973, p.114.

Exhibited

London, Royal Academy, 1837, no.72.

Engraved

H.T. Ryall, published by F.G. Moon in 1840.

Special Notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The sitter was born at Maes-y-castell, Caerhun, Caernarvonshire, the eldest son of John Ponsonby Conroy (1759-1797). He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1803, and later was appointed Equerry to the Duke of Kent in 1817. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Guelphic Order by George IV in 1827.

In the present portrait the sitter wears the uniform of a junior officer of the Royal Artillery on the unemployed list, denoted by the lack of gold lace on the coatee, as detailed in 1833. The determining factor for this date is the wearing of dark blue trousers; He wears a court sword, given by King George III to to his son, the Duke of Kent, after whose death it was given to Sir John Conroy.
We are grateful to Colonel Walton for his assistance with this catalogue entry.

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