King George III (1738–1820)
studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (Plympton 1723 - London 1792)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1783 - 1789
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
2438 x 1523 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Knole, Kent
NT 129732
Caption
George III was Godfather to George Sackville (1793-1815), 4th Duke of Dorset, so it is perhaps pertinent that his portrait should still hang at Knole. It is reported that the present picture, together with the pendant portrait of Queen Charlotte (NT 129734), was presented to the 4th Duke in the late 1780s, as a mark of appreciation for the Duke’s conduct as Ambassador in Paris. Curiously, however, the first record of the portraits’ display at Knole is not until the early 19th century. Both pictures are copies of original portraits painted by Reynolds in 1779, now in the Royal Academy collection.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, King George III (1738-1820), studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds (Plympton 1723 - London 1792), 1783-89. A full-length portrait, seated, in Coronation robes. A copy of the 1779 portrait in the Royal Academy. Pendant to NT 129734.
Provenance
Painted for the 3rd Duke of Dorset as ambassador to the court of France from 1783 to 1789; accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the National Trust in 2012
Credit line
Knole, The Sackville Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (Plympton 1723 - London 1792), artist