a guide to the pictures at powis castle · 4 a guide to the pictures at powis castle the pictures...

A Guide to the Pictures at Powis CastleDr Peter Moore

A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castleby Dr Peter Moore

ContentsA Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle 3

The Pictures 4

The Smoking Room 4 The State Dining Room 5 The Library 10 The Oak Drawing Room 13 The Gateway 18 The Long Gallery 20

The Walcot Bedroom 24 The Gallery Bedroom 26 The Duke’s Room 26 The Lower Tower Bedroom 28 The Blue Drawing Room 30 The Exit Passage 37

The Clive Museum 38

The Staircase 38 The Ballroom 41

Acknowledgements 48

2

AboveThomas Gainsborough RA, c.1763Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III as a BoySee page 13

3

Occupying a grand situation, high up on a rocky prominence, Powis Castle began life as a 13th-century fortress for the Welsh prince, Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn. However, its present incarnation dates from the 1530s, when Edward Grey, Lord Powis, took possession of the site and began a major rebuilding programme. The castle he created soon became regarded as the most imposing noble residence in North and Central Wales.

In 1578, the castle was leased to Sir Edward Herbert, the second son of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and Anne Parr, sister of Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. Nine years later, in 1587, Edward managed to purchase the castle and the estate, securing an impressive ancestral seat for future generations of the Herbert family.

During the course of the following four centuries, the Herberts transformed Powis into a lavish and comfortable home, but not without having to endure their fair share of hardship. While they earned great fortunes, they also amassed new debts. Though they gained titles and honours, they suffered exile and disgrace at various times too. The picture collection accumulated through these years reflects this turbulent family history. It provides a unique glimpse into the lives of those who have shaped and developed the story of Powis Castle.

One of the most notable features of the collection is the impressive run of family portraits, which account for nearly three-quarters of the paintings on display. From the earliest, depicting William Herbert and his wife Eleanor in 1595, to the most recent, showing Christian Herbert in 1977, these images not only help us to explore and understand very intimate personal stories, but also speak eloquently of changing tastes in fashion and material culture over an extraordinarily long timespan. They also provide a fascinating insight into the art of portrait painting itself – allowing us to see how different people at different times wanted their likenesses to be preserved in very different ways.

The collection also contains fine examples of other categories of painting, from religious and classical subjects, to battle scenes, still-life paintings and landscapes. Completing this rich assortment, the Clive Museum houses a rare collection of images relating to the early period of British India, including portraits of those who shaped this colonial culture as well as native Indians who found themselves part of it.

Arranged according to the visitor route around the castle, this publication lists the pictures in the order that they will typically be encountered, thus serving as a companion guide. It provides readers with a concise introduction to each work, noting the key facts and figures and offering some interpretation. It is very much hoped that this will encourage and stimulate further exploration of Powis Castle’s wonderful art collection.

Dr Peter Moore 2015

Introduction

4 A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle

The Pictures

N.B. All pictures, unless otherwise stated, are oil on canvas. The pictures appear here in the order in which they are encountered on the visitor route. Where old in-house inventory numbers are present on the works, they have been included here to aid identification; where they are not, the prefix (--) is used.

The Smoking Room

(19) British SchoolThomas Parr, ‘Old Parr’ (?1483–1635), 17th centuryNT1180907

Thomas Parr was a Shropshire farm labourer who rose to fame in the 17th century on account of his unfathomably old age. Legend has it that when he died in 1635 he was 152 years old. Shortly before his death he was brought to London by the Earl of Arundel where he became an object of curiosity and was widely known as ‘Old Parr’. He was presented to the king and enjoyed something of a celebrity status. He was the subject of a popular pamphlet titled ‘The Old, Old, Very Old Man or the Age and Long Life of Thomas Parr’. He did not survive life in the city for very long, though he clearly made a big impact; he was buried in Westminster Abbey where his small white marble gravestone can still be seen in the centre of the south transept.

(..) After Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–92)Mary Darby, Mrs Thomas Robinson, ‘Perdita’, c.1775NT1181074

Mary Darby was a famous actress, best known for playing the role of Perdita in the 1779 production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. She gained notoriety as the first public mistress of King George IV while he was still Prince of Wales. Her affair with him ended in 1781 amidst much publicity; after threatening to publish the prince’s letters, she returned them in exchange for £5,000 and a small annuity. This painting derives from one of the many portraits of her by Joshua Reynolds, and may have been copied from an engraving. The theatricality of her costume and the flamboyant red drapery behind her seems highly fitting for her popular reputation and character.

5The Pictures

(116) Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588–c.1655)Portrait of an Unknown Man

(117) Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588–c.1655)Portrait of an Unknown Man

Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy was a portrait painter of the Dutch ‘Golden Age’ – a period of the 17th century when the Netherlands led the way in global trade, art, science and technology. Many of Pickenoy’s portraits depict figures who made their fortunes during these years. The unknown man and woman in these two portraits have not been identified, although they probably fit into this category. Their fine clothing appears of the quality and style that would befit such status. It is possible that they were citizens of Amsterdam, where the artist enjoyed a highly successful career. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

The State Dining Room

(1) George Romney (1734–1802)Rebecca Clive, Mrs Robinson (1760–95), late 18th centuryNT1181063

Rebecca Clive was the eldest daughter of Robert, ‘Clive of India’. She married General John Robinson in 1780. This painting is probably the full-length portrait of her that the artist George Romney began but never finished, which was sold for 20 guineas in 1805. The canvas was later cut down to a three-quarter-length and completed by an unknown artist named ‘Mr Brown’, at the request of General Robinson. Romney was originally from Cumbria, but he settled in London in 1762 where he rose to fame as one the most fashionable portrait painters of the day. (See No. 113 for another likeness of this sitter).

(2) Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–92)Lady Henrietta Herbert, Countess of Powis (1758–1830), 1777NT1181064

Lady Henrietta was the daughter of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis. In 1784 she married Edward, 2nd Lord Clive, who was later created Earl of Powis in 1804. It was through Lady Henrietta that the Powis estates passed to the Clive family. She travelled to India with her daughters in 1798 during her husband’s tenure of the Governorship of Madras and stayed there until 1801. During this time she toured the southern regions of the country and formed a collection of Indian curiosities which are now on display in the Clive Museum at Powis. The hat and lace scarf she is shown wearing here do not appear in the 1778 engraving after this work; these elements appear to have been added at a later date.


(3) George Romney (1734–1802)The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), c.1783–1785NT1181065

Charlotte Clive was the second daughter of Robert, ‘Clive of India’. Her godmother was Queen Charlotte. She travelled widely in Italy, where portraits of her were produced by notable artists including Angelica Kauffman, Charles Grignion (No. 81) and Hugh Douglas Hamilton (No. 105). She died unmarried. Sittings for this portrait are recorded in 1783, and a payment of £42 is noted as being ‘received of Miss Charlotte for her portrait half-length’. A letter also survives which requests for ‘Miss Clive’s portrait to be sent to John Robinson, esq [her brother-in-law], Denston Hall, Suffolk’.

(65) FranÇois De Troy (1645–1730)Lady Mary Herbert, Viscountess Montagu (1659–1744/45), late 17th centuryNT1180944

Lady Mary Herbert was the eldest daughter of William, 1st Marquess of Powis. She married three times: firstly to the Hon. Richard Molyneux, secondly to Francis Browne, 4th Viscount Montagu (d.1708), and finally to Sir George Maxwell (d.1720). In this portrait she is attended by an Egyptian girl, who is shown bringing her a jewelled coronet. It is thought that the painting was produced while Mary was in exile with her father, who remained loyal to the deposed King James II after the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

(66) FranÇois De Troy (1645–1730)Lady Lucy Herbert (1668–1744) as a Vestal Virgin, c.1692–1693NT1180945

Lucy Herbert was the fourth daughter of William, 1st Marquess of Powis – a leading Catholic nobleman whose portrait (No. 29) was also painted by De Troy. In around 1690 she left England for the Spanish Netherlands. In 1693 she was admitted to the convent of the English Augustinian Canonesses at Bruges, and was elected prioress of the community in 1709. She later became known as a devotional writer. By depicting her as a vestal virgin in this portrait, De Troy encourages us to see her as model of female virtue.

(85) British SchoolRichard Clive of Styche (d.1771), mid-18th centuryNT1180959

Richard Clive was the father of Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’. He married Rebecca Gaskell, daughter of Nathaniel Gaskell of Manchester (No. 86). He was squire of Styche near Market Drayton, and also practised as a lawyer in London to supplement his annual rent-roll of £500. Under the patronage of Henry Arthur, 1st Earl of Powis, he was elected MP for Montgomeryshire in 1761.

7The Pictures

(86) British SchoolA Girl, said to be Rebecca Gaskell, early 18th centuryNT1180960

This portrait is thought to depict Rebecca Gaskell as a young girl. She later married Richard Clive of Styche (No. 85) and was the mother of Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’. She is shown here wearing an elegant dress, adorned with a shawl. This relative formality is countered by the sprightly King Charles spaniel puppy she holds, which reinforces a sense of playfulness befitting of her youth. The portrait was probably painted by a provincial British artist, in imitation of the fashionable mode of female portraiture being produced in the studios of leading London artists.

(6) French SchoolWilliam Herbert, 3rd Marquess of Powis (c.1698–1748), early 18th centuryNT1181068

In this portrait, the young William Herbert is pictured wearing a sumptuous array of silks and gilt-edged fabrics, adorned with a gold motif of a lion’s head. His outfit seems almost like a historical costume. In particular, the details below his shoulders and around his waist are reminiscent of the decorative strips of leather known as ‘pteruges’ worn by Roman and Greek soldiers. The artist is unknown, but the style suggests a French hand. William was the son of the 2nd Marquess of Powis and succeeded his father’s title in 1745. He died unmarried in 1748, leaving the Powis estates to a distant relative, Henry Arthur Herbert, Lord Herbert of Chirbury, who was later made Earl of Powis (second creation).

(94) Solomon Joseph Solomon (1860–1927)Percy Herbert, Viscount Clive (1892–1916), early 20th century

This posthumous portrait of Percy Herbert shows him wearing the dress uniform of the Welsh Guards. He joined the regiment at the time of their formation, on 1 March 1915 – St David’s Day. He died of wounds received at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This portrait, which was painted posthumously, seems a fitting tribute to his military service in the Great War. On loan to the National Trust from a private collection.

(10) After Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599–1641)Elizabeth Dormer, Marchioness of Worcester (born 1610 or after 1635), 18th centuryNT1180903

Elizabeth Dormer was the daughter of Sir William Dormer. In 1628 she married Edward, Lord Herbert of Raglan who subsequently became the 2nd Marquess of Worcester. She had three children: Henry, 1st Duke of Beaufort (No. 28); Elizabeth, Lady Somerset (No. 8); and Anne, Lady Somerset. This painting, by an 18th-century copyist, is derived from an original portrait by Van Dyck, which is today in a private collection. The composition, which places the sitter before a tripartite backdrop of drapery, architecture and a landscape view, is typical in Van Dyck’s portraits of aristocratic women.


(84) British SchoolLady Katherine Newport, Lady Herbert of Chirbury (1653–1716), mid-17th centuryNT1180958

This portrait, by an unknown artist, is loosely based on the style of Sir Peter Lely, portrait painter to Charles II. It depicts Katherine Newport, daughter of Francis, 1st Earl of Bradford. In 1681 she married Henry, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury. She died in 1716 having had no children.

(11) British SchoolLady Eleanor Percy, afterwards Lady Powis (1582/3–1650), 1595NT1180904

This portrait depicts Eleanor Percy at the age of 13. She was the daughter of the 8th Earl of Northumberland and wife of William, 1st Lord Powis (No.12). She is shown wearing a cross, indicating her allegiance to the ‘old faith’ of Catholicism. Her image and dress is clearly influenced by the high fashion of the Elizabethan era. To this day, Eleanor’s book of hours and rosary, which previously belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, remain in the Powis collection.

(7) Kenneth Green (1905–86)Christian Victor Charles Herbert, 6th Earl of Powis (1904–88), 1977

Christian Herbert was the second son of Edward Herbert and Beatrice, daughter of Sir Hedworth Williamson. He became Earl of Powis in 1974 following the death of his brother Edward. Christian was a keen amateur artist: two still-life paintings and a landscape by him, dating from the 1930s, are today in the collection at Powis.On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(12) British SchoolWilliam Herbert, 1st Lord Powis (1574–1656), 1595NT1180905

William Herbert was the son of Sir Edward Herbert and Mary Stanley. His paternal grandparents were William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and Anne Parr, sister of Queen Catherine Parr. On 2 April 1629 he was created the 1st Lord Powis. Before 1600, he married Lady Eleanor Percy, the teenage daughter of the 8th Earl of Northumberland (No. 11). He held Powis Castle for King Charles I during the Civil War, but it was captured in 1644 and he was imprisoned and deprived of his estates.

9The Pictures

(13) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)Lady Charlotte Herbert (died after 1751), later Lady Charlotte Morris (married 1723), then Lady Charlotte Williams, c.1710–1720NT1180906

Charlotte Herbert was the third daughter of William, 2nd Marquess of Powis. Her first husband was Edward Morris of Pen-y-bont, who she married in 1723. She later married Edward Williams of Yestyn Colwyn. This portrait was painted by Michael Dahl, a Swedish artist who lived and worked in England for most of his career.

(14) Ellis Roberts (1865–1930)Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis (1865–1929), c.1900

Violet Lane-Fox was the youngest child of Sackville Lane-Fox, 12th Baron Conyers, and his wife, Mary Curteis. In 1891 she married George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis. In 1911 she was entrusted with the entire management of the deteriorating gardens at Powis Castle, and over the next 18 years she effectively recreated them into the internationally renowned form that they have today. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(15) Richard Von Marientreu (1902–91)Ella Rathborne, Countess of Powis (1890–1987), c.1954

Ella Rathborne was the daughter of Colonel W.H. Rathborne of Scripplestown, Country Dublin. She married Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (No. 16). The dress she is wearing in this portrait was given to the National Trust in 1983. It is made from Indian gold cloth and dates from the 18th century. It is thought to have been brought to England by either the 1st or 2nd Lord Clive. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(16) Richard Von Marientreu (1902–91)Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (1889–1974), 1954

Edward Herbert was the great-great-grandson of Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. He married Ella Rathborne (No. 15), daughter of Col W.H. Rathbone, succeeding his cousin George, 4th Earl of Powis, in 1952. He is depicted here wearing the dress uniform of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 60th Rifles. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(17) Sir William Llewellyn (1858–1941)George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862–1952), date unknown

George Herbert was the son of Lieutenant General Sir Percy Herbert KCB and succeeded his uncle as 4th Earl of Powis in 1891. He married Violet Lane-Fox in 1890. In 1902 he commissioned G.F. Bodley to undertake repairs and alterations to Powis Castle. He bequeathed the castle and garden to the National Trust in 1952. In this portrait he is wearing the uniform and insignia of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.


The Library

(91) Manner of Melchoir de Hondecoeter (1636–95)Poultry outside a Hen-house, late 17th centuryNT1180965

This lively scene of poultry outside a hen-house is rooted in the tradition of bird painting popularised by the Dutch artist Melchior de Hondecoeter. The artist’s works were favoured by wealthy magnates of the Netherlands and he also received patronage from William III, Prince of Orange and later King of England. The popularity of such pictures in British country houses can be connected to the increasing fashion for rustic rural imagery towards the end of the 17th century.

(20) Johannes Antonius Van Der Baren (1615–86)A Seascape within a Garland of Fruit, 1647NT1180908

This unusual seascape, seen through a stone window adorned with fruit, was painted by Johannes Antonius van der Baren. The artist is best known for his role as painter to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (1614–62), though he was also employed as his chaplain. The Archduke’s collection is now owned by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, where many of his other works can be seen.

11The Pictures

(21) Isaac Oliver (c.1565–1617)Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), early 17th centuryNT1183954

Like his younger and more famous brother George, Edward Herbert was a distinguished poet and writer. He is perhaps best known for his philosophical treatise, De Veritate, which was first published in 1624. A kinsman of the Powis Herberts, he lived at nearby Montgomery Castle. In this portrait he is depicted wearing tournament gear, reclining beside a brook. By depicting the Baron leaning with his head on his hand, the artist, Isaac Oliver, appears to reference Albrecht Durer’s 1514 engraving, Melencolia I, which shows an allegorical figure in a similar posture, suggesting a melancholic state. The inscription on his shield, ‘MAGICA SYMPATHIAE’, is a further reference to Durer’s engraving which includes the depiction of a ‘magic square’. His shield is also decorated with the emblem of a burning heart, which is understood as an allusion to ‘Platonick Love’ – an emotional state that the Baron often described in his poems. (For other likenesses of the sitter, see Nos. 26, 43 and 62). Commissioned by the sitter and thence by descent; on loan to the National Trust from 1952; purchased by the National Trust by private treaty, with the help of grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, a fund set up by the late Hon. Simon Sainsbury and a bequest from Winifred Hooper, 2016.

(22) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort (1684–1714), c.1702–1712NT1180909

Henry Somerset was the grandson and heir of the 1st Duke of Beaufort (No. 28). In this portrait he is shown wearing his ducal robes with his coronet in his hand. He enjoyed a close acquaintance with Queen Anne, who he entertained at Badminton in 1702 – the year of her coronation. The Queen later appointed him Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners and made him a Knight of the Garter in 1712. He married three times: firstly to Mary Sackville in 1702, who died in 1705, and secondly to Rachel Noel in 1706, who died in 1709. He married his third wife, Mary Osborne, in 1711, though he died just three years later.

(23) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), early 18th centuryNT1180910

Mary Preston was the wife of William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis. She is shown here wearing peeress’s robes and sitting beside a table upon which a coronet is placed. Originally, this painting depicted Lady Rachel Noel, the first wife of the 2nd Duke of Beaufort (No. 22). However, at some point, Lady Noel’s face was cut out of the picture and replaced with a new piece of canvas on which Dahl painted Mary Preston’s portrait. The reason for this re-use of the painting is not entirely clear, although it may have been as a result of the original sitter dying during childbirth in 1709, perhaps before her portrait was finished. (For other portraits of Mary Preston, see No. 61 and No. 67).


(87, 88, 89, 90) Manner of Pieter Snayers (1592–1667)Four Battle Scenes with Horsemen, date unknownNational Trust Inventory Numbers 1180961, 1180962, 1180963, 1180964

These four battle scenes, which are dominated by skirmishes on horseback, are painted in the style of the Flemish Baroque artist, Pieter Snayers. Though best known for his images of historical conflicts, which typically demonstrate a close attention to topographic accuracy, Snayers also painted portraits of aristocracy in Brussels and collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens on several occasions.

(18) Attributed to Antonio Vasilacchi (L’Aliense) (1556–1629)The Madonna and Child with Saint Louis of Toulouse and Saint Catherine of Genoa, date unknown

This painting, previously known as Virgin and Child with a Young Bishop, was bought by Clive of India in 1771. It has previously been attributed to Tintoretto, but is now thought to be by ‘L’Aliense’, one of his followers. The figures either side of the Madonna have been identified as St Louis of Toulouse (d.1297), and St Catherine of Genoa (1447–1510). St Louis is principally remembered for renouncing the throne of Naples to become a Franciscan friar. St Catherine is chronicled as a nurse and mystic; her love of God and fellow men is denoted in this picture by a flaming heart in her breast. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

13The Pictures

The Oak Drawing Room

(26) British SchoolEdward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), early 17th centuryNT1180912

This portrait was probably painted shortly after Edward Herbert was made a Knight of the Bath by King James I in 1603. He later spoke with great pride of his robes of ‘crimson taffety … in which habit I am painted in my study’. The painter is unknown, though the formal construction of the portrait is reminiscent of the full-length portraits by William Larkin from the same period. Larkin was an English painter best known for his portrayals of members of the court of James I, which capture in brilliant detail the opulent layering of textiles, embroidery, lace, and jewellery characteristic of fashion in the Jacobean era.

(27) Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723)King Charles II (1630–85), after 1685NT1180913

A copy of Godfrey Kneller’s last portrait of Charles II, this painting is on display at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. The original work is thought to have been started just before the king’s death, and finished afterwards, in 1685. Kneller came to England in 1676, and upon the death of Peter Lely in 1680 he was appointed Principal Painter to the Crown by Charles II. He ran a highly efficient studio, and with the support of his assistants he was able to produce portraits at great speed, making numerous copies of his most popular works.

(30) Thomas Gainsborough RA (1727–88)Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), as a Boy, c.1763NT1181069

This portrait of Edward Clive, the eldest son of Robert, ‘Clive of India’, depicts him as a young boy, aged nine or ten. In 1784, he married Lady Henrietta Herbert. In 1798 he was appointed Governor of Madras. On his return to Britain in 1804, he received the thanks of Parliament for his services during the 4th Mysore War of 1799, and the 2nd Mahratta War of 1802–4. The painting is thought to date from the early 1760s, when the artist was working in Bath and producing portraits for a wide variety of new clients.


(76) Studio of Gainsborough Dupont (1754–97)King George III (1738–1820), after 1794T1180952

This painting is probably a studio copy of Gainsborough Dupont’s portrait of George III in the Royal Collection, which is thought to have been exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1794. According to the landscape painter and diarist, Joseph Farington, the king thought that Dupont’s portrait of him was ‘the best likeness that had been painted’. The Powis version was reputedly given by George III to Lord Sidmouth, who bequeathed it to Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis in 1844. (See No. 24 for a pendant to this portrait).

(115) Follower of William Marlow (1740–1813)View of the North Front of Powis Castle, date unknown

Adopting a viewpoint which focuses on the castle’s north front, this painting relates closely to a number of watercolour views produced by William Marlow in the 1790s, in which a similar perspective is favoured. The anonymous artist was possibly a journeyman, and it is likely that he made use of Marlow’s earlier images to produce this larger work in oil. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(24) Attributed to Gainsborough Dupont (1754–97)Queen Charlotte (1744–1818), c.1794

This portrait of Queen Charlotte has always been associated with the full-length portrait of George III at Powis (No. 76), and entered the collection at the same time, as a bequest from Lord Sidmouth. Unlike the portrait of the king, however, which is thought to be a studio copy, this work is believed to be by Gainsborough Dupont himself. The pose is derived from Thomas Gainsborough’s 1781 portrait of Queen Charlotte in the Royal Collection, of which there are many copies. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

15The Pictures

(63) Pompeo Batoni (1708–87)George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), 1776NT1181071

George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, succeeded his father in 1772 at the age of 17. Shortly after, he embarked on a Grand Tour of Italy, arriving in Rome in 1775. There, he met Pompeo Batoni, a fashionable portrait painter who was greatly in demand among aristocratic British tourists. The occasion on which this portrait was painted is documented in a letter sent by Father John Thorpe, an English Jesuit in Rome, to the 8th Lord Arundell of Wardour, in England. Dated 28 October 1776, the letter explains that ‘Pompeo Batoni … is now finishing a plain portrait of Lord Powis’. Such portraits by Batoni were transported back to Britain by those who commissioned them, to furnish the walls of large private residences like Powis. So influential was the artist in Rome that the painter Benjamin West, while visiting the city, complained that the Italian artists ‘talked of nothing, looked at nothing but the works of Pompeo Batoni’.

(60) Attributed to Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568–1625)Three Studies of an Owl on a Perch

This painting, which depicts an owl on a perch from three different angles, is thought to be by the Flemish painter and draughtsman Jan Brueghel the elder, son of Pieter Brueghel. He specialised in natural subjects, especially still life and flower paintings. His virtuoso skill at depicting delicate textures earned him the nickname ‘Velvet’ Brueghel. Though the full provenance of this painting is not known, an inscription on the back of its frame reads ‘shipped from Leghorn 1778’, suggesting that it was purchased in Italy. It is also noted in an 18th century inventory of the Powis residence at Berkeley Square, London, which describes a ‘Study of Owls from Leghorn’.On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.


A view of the river Adige, painted by Bernardo Bellotto, the pupil and nephew of Canaletto, was probably produced between 1745 and 1747 when the artist was living in Verona. The view is taken from the Ponte della Navi, towards the Castel San Pietro in the middle distance and the tower of Sant’Anastasia on the left. The picture was bought by Clive of India in 1771 and briefly hung in his London house at Berkeley Square, before being transferred to Powis Castle, where it is listed in 1798. Its pendant, looking in the opposite direction towards the south, is now on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland.

(32) Bernardo Bellotto (1721–80)View of Verona from the Ponte Nuovo, c.1745–1747NT1180916

17The Pictures

(33) Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770NT1180917

Robert Clive was a Governor of Bengal and is today credited as the founder of British rule in India. It is as a result of this role that he earned the popular name ‘Clive of India’. In 1764 he was named a Knight of the Bath, and he is shown wearing the ribbon of this honour in this portrait. Several studio versions of this portrait exist (for example, No. 4) and it was widely disseminated in engraved form. The scene of military conflict in the background is thought to represent the Battle of Plassey (1757), in which Clive played a decisive commanding role.

(29) FranÇois de Troy (1645–1730)William Herbert, 3rd Baron and 1st Earl/ Marquess of Powis (1626–96), c.1692NT1180915

William Herbert was the son of Percy, 2nd Lord Powis. In 1654 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester. In 1667 he succeeded his father and in 1674 became 1st Earl of Powis. In 1679 he was falsely accused in the ‘Popish Plot’ of conspiring to kill King Charles II, and as a result spent six years in the Tower of London awaiting trial. He was freed in 1684 and after the accession of James II became a loyal member of the Court. He remained faithful to the deposed king after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and in 1692 was made a Knight of the Garter at the exiled Jacobite Court in St Germain. In this portrait he is depicted wearing the robes and regalia of this honour, the highest order of chivalry.

(31) Attributed to Sebastiano Bombelli (1635–1719)Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine (1634–1705) and his Secretary, 1664NT1181070

Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine, was the grandson of the 1st Lord Powis. He was married to Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland, who was famously a mistress of Charles II and mothered five of the king’s children. After separating from his wife in 1662, Roger travelled in France and Italy. By 1664 he was in the Levant, serving as an officer in the fleet of the Venetian Republic, commanded by Admiral Andrea Cornaro. It was at this time that his portrait was painted (an inscription on the canvas reads ‘An: Do. 1664 Venetia’). It is thought to have been produced by Venice’s leading portrait painter at the time, Sebastiano Bombelli.


(28) Attributed to John Riley (1646–91)Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, 3rd Marquess of Worcester (1629–1700), c.1672NT1180914

Henry Somerset was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1667. He was installed as a Knight of the Garter on 29 May 1672, and is shown in this portrait wearing the robes of this order. The Dukedom of Beaufort was bestowed upon him ten years later by King Charles II, in 1682. His sister, Elizabeth, married William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis (see No. 29). In his official role as Lord President of Wales, Henry visited Powis Castle on a state visit in 1684.

The Gateway

(35) Anglo-Dutch SchoolCalled Elizabeth Spencer, Lady Craven (1618–72), mid-17th centuryNT1180919

This portrait is thought to depict Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of the 2nd Lord Spencer. It is presumably at Powis because the sitter’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth Craven, was the wife of Percy, 2nd Baron Powis. Its style is in the manner of Gerard van Honthorst, who was invited to England by Charles I in 1628 and subsequently painted portraits of members of the Royal family and other figures associated with the English court (No. 49 is also thought to be a portrait of Elizabeth Spencer, perhaps as a younger lady).

(34) After Gerard van Honthorst (1590–1656)William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1606–97), 1647NT1180918

William was the eldest son of Sir William Craven, a city magnate, and Elizabeth Whitmore, the daughter of a London Alderman. He inherited his father’s vast fortune at the age of around ten. After spending time at Trinity College, Oxford, he took up soldiering and in 1632 sailed for Germany as one of the leaders of the English force enlisted to serve under Gustavus Adolphus in the hope of restoring King Charles I’s sister, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia. An identical version of this portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery London; both derive from the three-quarter-length portrait of William by Gerard van Honthorst, at Ashdown House, Berkshire.

(36) British SchoolJane Shore (d.1527), early 18th centuryNT1180920Jane Shore was one of the many mistresses of King Edward IV of England. Through her liaisons with the king and several other prominent courtiers she became entangled in the political intrigues that led to the usurpation of Richard III and the revival of civil war in the 1480s. As Thomas More noted in his History of King Richard III (c.1513): ‘...she delighted not men so much in her beauty as in her pleasant behaviour. For a proper wit had she, and could both read well and write, merry in company, ready and quick of answer, neither mute nor full of babble, sometimes taunting without displeasure, and not without play.’ Jane later became a recognised penitent, and in the early eighteenth century, the image of her in this guise was a popular subject. There are similar versions of this painting, from the same period, at Penrhyn Castle and Chirk Castle.

19The Pictures

(37) British SchoolA Gentleman of the Clive Family aged 30, date unknownNT1180921

Although this painting has the appearance of a 16th-century portrait, it is thought to be a later, probably 18th-century creation. The identity of the sitter is unknown, but an inscription records his age as 30, and the arms and motto of the Clive family are also depicted. It may have been conceived as a copy of an earlier, now lost work; alternatively, it might have simply been painted in an outmoded, historical style, to cultivate a notion of ancestry. Incongruously, it is housed in an 18th-century Venetian mirror frame.

(38) British SchoolElizabeth Craven, Lady Powis (1600–62), early 17th centuryNT1180922

In this portrait, Elizabeth Craven is shown as a young lady, wearing a richly embellished dress trimmed with fine lace-work. The garment is typical of the late Elizabethan style of embroidery which mixed together all manner of motifs taken from the natural world. A variety of flowers are interspersed with lively depictions of butterflies and birds. Printed emblem books and illustrated natural histories often provided useful sources for these kinds of textile designs.

(39) British SchoolSir Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (c.1598–1667), early 17th centuryNT1180923

Percy Herbert was the son of William, 1st Lord Powis. In 1622 he married Elizabeth (No. 38), daughter of Sir William Craven, a wealthy alderman of the City of London. During the 1620s he sat in the Commons as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury, though later was convicted of treason for his Catholic sympathies. The loss of his estates and freedom inspired him to write a number of philosophical and moralistic essays, for which he is perhaps best known today.

(40) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Egerton Herbert (1822–76), c.1857NT1180924

Percy Herbert was the second son of Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. He was a soldier of great distinction and served with the 43rd Light Infantry in the Kaffir War between 1851 and 1853. As an Assistant Quartermaster General he landed in the Crimea in 1854 and was subsequently promoted to Quartermaster General. In 1859 he served as Colonel of the 82nd Foot in India. He was later made Deputy Quartermaster General of the Horse Guards in 1860, and in 1867 was appointed Treasurer of the Household. He became Major General in 1868, KCB in 1869, and Lieutentant General in 1875. The artist, Francis Grant, was the most sought after society portrait painter of his day and the only Scottish president of the Royal Academy in London. His depiction of Percy Egerton is typical in its combination of formality and humility.


The Long Gallery

(56) Gilbert Soest (c.1605–1681)Henry Herbert, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1640–91), c.1660–1680NT1180938

Henry Herbert, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury, was a participant in the Royalist rebellion of 1659, led by the Presbyterian George Booth. Later, in 1687, he served under the Duke of Monmouth and was a promoter of the Glorious Revolution. For his efforts, he was made Cofferer of the Household to William and Mary. His portrait, painted by the Dutch artist Gilbert Soest, depicts him in armour with a battle scene in the distance, alluding to his involvement in military affairs.

(43) British SchoolEdward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), date unknownNT1180927

This portrait of Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury, is perhaps unfinished. Unusually, it depicts his head emerging from clouds. It may have been painted posthumously to serve as a memorial. It is one of three portraits of the sitter at Powis Castle.

(54) Gilbert Soest (c.1605–1681)Edward Herbert, 3rd Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1633–78), c.1660–1680NT1180936

This depiction of Edward Herbert is typical of Gilbert Soest’s portraits of military figures during the Restoration period. Placed within a dark oval frame, he is shown dressed in armour and wearing a red and white cravat. Along with his younger brother Henry (No. 56), Edward joined the Royalist uprising under George Booth, when he declared for Charles II in Cheshire in 1659, and suffered a short imprisonment. After the Restoration he was made Custos Rotulorum (keeper of the county’s records) of Montgomeryshire (1660), and Denbighshire (1666).

(44) Cornelius Johnson (1593–1661)Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1606–55), 1635NT1180928

Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury, was the eldest son of Edward, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury. He was a distinguished loyalist and raised 12,000 troops for Charles I. Cornelius Johnson, who painted this work, was one of the foremost portrait painters in England until Van Dyck arrived in 1632. Although his family were German-Flemish refugees, Johnson himself was born in London. His style of painting was well-suited to the intimate bust-length portrait format, which he used to capture the reserve of the English gentry and minor aristocracy.

21The Pictures

(45) British SchoolSir Henry Herbert (1594–1673), 1639NT1180929

Sir Henry Herbert was the brother of Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury. He lived at Ribblesford, Worcestershire. He was originally engaged in diplomatic work, but in 1623 became Master of the Revels. He performed this role for both Charles I and Charles II, and was responsible for choosing the plays and entertainments staged at court. He was also a shareholder in several theatres, including the Phoenix or Cockpit Theatre, and the Salisbury Court Theatre.

(50) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818–91), c.1845–1848NT1180934

Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis, was educated at Eton College and St John’s College, Cambridge, where he was president of the University Pitt Club. He became MP for Shropshire North in 1843, and held the seat for five years until 1848 when he succeeded his father in the earldom and entered the House of Lords. In 1875, at the age of 67, he was offered the Viceroyalty of India by then Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. However, he declined, fearing his health ‘would not be suited to the rigours of the tropical climate’.

(46) British SchoolHenry Herbert of Colebrook (1617–56), 1641NT1180930

The eldest son of Sir William Herbert of Colebrook in Monmouthshire, Henry was a distant relation of the Powis and Chirbury branches of the Herbert family. In contrast to his kinsmen, his sympathies were with Parliament during the Civil War. As a ‘Roundhead’ Colonel, he captured Cardiff and Swansea in 1645.

(47) Attributed to Thomas Hudson (1701–79)Henry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, 2nd Creation (1703–72), c.1740NT1180931

Henry Arthur Herbert was the son of Francis Herbert, of Oakly Park near Ludlow, Shropshire; his mother, Dorothy, was the daughter of John Oldbury, a merchant of London. In 1751, at the age of 48, he married the 15-year-old Barbara Herbert, daughter and heiress of Lord Edward Herbert. Oakly Park was his main country home until 1771, when he sold it to Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’, and moved into Powis Castle. He enjoyed a long political career, acting at various times as Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire and Montgomeryshire, Comptroller of the Household, and Treasurer of the Household. (For a group portrait of Henry Herbert with his wife and children see No. 74).


(48) British SchoolCalled Barbara Herbert, Countess of Powis (1735–86), c.1750NT1180932

This portrait is thought to depict Barbara Herbert, Countess of Powis. It is framed as a pendant to the portrait her husband, Henry Herbert (No. 47), but appears to be in a different artist’s hand. It was perhaps produced to accompany his portrait at the time of the couple’s marriage.

(57) British SchoolSir William Herbert of St Julians (c.1553–1593), 16th centuryNT1180939

William Herbert was born about 1553 at St Julians, Monmouthshire. His father, William, was a landowner in Monmouthshire; his mother, Jane, was the daughter of Edward Griffith of Penrhyn Castle, Caernarvonshire. Between around 1568 and 1573 he attended Oxford, and in 1577 entered political life as sheriff of Glamorgan. In 1578 he was knighted by Elizabeth I at Richmond Palace. In 1586 he undertook, with a consortium, to create a network of plantations in Ireland. In 1591 he published a treatise which was largely shaped by this experience, titled Croftus, sive, De Hibernia liber. In it, he advocated the use of colonisation schemes to ‘civilize’ primitive peoples.

(62) British SchoolA Gentleman, possibly Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), early 17th centuryT1180942

This portrait, painted in oil on panel, is believed to depict Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury. The finely embroidered doublet and ruff identifies the sitter as distinguished gentlemen, and is stylistically in keeping with the fashions of the early 17th century.

(49) Attributed to John Weesop (Fl. 1641–49)Called Elizabeth Spencer, Lady Craven (1618–72), early to mid-17th centuryNT1180933

This portrait is thought to depict Elizabeth Spencer, before to her marriage to John Craven, 1st Baron Craven of Ryton, in 1643. However, it bears little resemblance to another portrait of the same sitter (No. 35), and may represent a case of mistaken identity. It is attributed to John Weesop, who came to England in 1641 – the year that the leading court painter in England, Anthony Van Dyck, died. So similar was Weesop’s style to Van Dyck’s that William Sykes, a 17th-century artist and picture dealer, later claimed that many pictures painted by Weesop were mistaken for those produced by his predecessor.

23The Pictures

(9) Abraham van Blyenberch (fl. 1617–22)William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (1580–1630), 1617NT1180902

This three-quarter-length portrait of William Herbert depicts him in the role of Lord Chamberlain – the senior official of the Royal Household. The staff of office he holds, and the key attached to his waist, allude to his status. He held this position from 1615 to 1625, under King James I. During this time, in 1724, the newly founded Pembroke College, Oxford, was named after him. This painting, by Abraham van Blyenberch, is the only known signed and dated example of the artist’s work in Britain.


The Walcot Bedroom

(--) Cornelis Pietersz. de Mooy (d. 1693)Vessels in an Estuary off Amsterdam, c.1670NT1180969

This estuary scene, by Cornelis Pietersz. de Mooy, shows a number of different vessels in shallow waters near Amsterdam. In the distance, windmills and church spires can be seen on the horizon. In the left foreground, partly obscured by a sailing boat, a much larger vessel is at anchor; she displays an array of cannons and has an ornately decorated stern. The artist specialised in monochrome sea pieces, in which he applied black pigment with a pen and used a brush to add washes in varying tones of grey. These images so closely resemble the work of Willem van de Velde the Elder – the leading Dutch marine artist of the day – that it is possible de Mooy was his pupil. The present work, which is rendered in full colour, marks a departure from this style.

25The Pictures

(--) Jakob Philipp Hackert (1737–1807)Landscape with a Waterfall and a Cowherd in the Foreground, 1755NT1180968

Jakob Philipp Hackert was born in Brandenburg, and in his youth trained as an artist with his father Philipp – a portraitist and painter of animals. In 1758 he went to study at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, and subsequently travelled to Paris in 1765. In 1768 he went to Italy, where he spent the rest of his life, gaining a reputation as a talented landscape painter. This early work, which was produced when he was only 18, depicts an idealised vision of pastoral life. Compared to most of his later works, it is painted on a comparatively modest scale.


(--) Anonymous, and James Watson (1740–90)Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke (1734–94), Lady Elizabeth Spencer, Countess of Pembroke (d.1831) and their only Son George Augustus Herbert, later 11th Earl of Pembroke (1759–1827), after 1773NT1180970

This small group portrait of Henry Herbert with his wife and son appears to be painted over a mezzotint engraving, made by James Watson. Upon close inspection, the ridged lines of the laid paper on which the mezzotint was printed can be seen. Intriguingly, Reynolds is not known to have painted the family in a single image as they appear here, though he did produce separate canvases of them: one of Henry, and another of Elizabeth with George. These two paintings were subsequently engraved by John Dixon, in 1669 and 1771. Watson’s 1771 mezzotint inventively combines those produced by Dixon, effectively pasting them together as a composite, and giving the impression of a coherent group portrait. The present work was presumably painted by an amateur artist, using Watson’s print and simply ‘colouring in’ the image.

The Gallery Bedroom

(59) After Guercino (1591–1666)Aurora quitting Tithonus in her Chariot, 18th centuryNT1180971

This painting is a copy, in reverse, of Guercino’s 1621 fresco in the Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome, Italy. It was probably copied from an engraving. It recalls the story of Aurora, goddess of dawn, as told in Homer’s epic Greek poem, The Iliad. Aurora, who takes centre stage riding a horse-drawn chariot, is depicted leaving her aged husband, Tithonus. She holds a torch aloft, rolling back the clouds and turning night into day. In front of her are three ‘Horae’ – goddesses of the seasons.

(--) French SchoolEmpress Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763–1814) tuning her Harp, early 19th centuryNT1180786

Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoleon I, and thus the first Empress of France. She was a highly accomplished musician and had a large music room at the Château de Malmaison. In this small watercolour on ivory she is depicted with her favourite instrument, the harp. Her chief instrument maker was George Cousineau, one of the leading harp makers of his day. Cousineau’s harps were lavishly carved and painted, and would have been thought highly suitable for the salons of Paris in the decades leading up to the French Revolution in 1789.

27The Pictures

The Duke’s Room

(--) John Russell (1744–1807)George Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), c.1761

This pastel portrait by John Russell depicts the future Earl of Powis, George Herbert, as a young boy (he succeeded his father in the earldom in 1772). The portrait is recorded as ‘Lord Ludlow, aged 6’, which helps to date the work to c.1761. The title ‘Lord Ludlow’ refers to his later appointment as a judicial officer of the Shropshire town in 1776. (See No. 63 for a portrait of this sitter as a young man, aged 21). On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(--) John Russell (1744–1807)Lady Henrietta Herbert, later Countess of Powis (1758–1830), c.1761

This portrait depicts Henrietta Herbert, the younger sister of George Herbert, as a toddler, aged 3. The artist, John Russell, was educated at Guildford Grammar School and won premiums from the Society of Artists for drawings in 1759 and 1760. He was apprenticed to Francis Cotes and set up his own practice in 1767. This portrait, together with its pendant, represents one of Russell’s earliest known commissions, and was presumably produced for the sitter’s father, Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis. (For a depiction of this sitter as a young lady, aged 19, see No. 2). On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(--) William Hoare (1707–92)George Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), c.1770

This portrait shows George Herbert as an adolescent. His confident gaze towards the viewer prefigures the self-assuredness captured by Pompeo Batoni, who painted his portrait just a few years later, after he had succeeded to the Earldom. The artist, William Hoare, spent much of his career in Bath, where he settled in 1739, and where he remained the city’s most fashionable portraitist until the arrival of Gainsborough in 1759. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1769 and exhibited there between 1770 and 1779. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(--) William Hoare (1707–92)Richard Herbert (1704–54), mid-18th century

Richard Herbert was the younger brother of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, and uncle of George and Henrietta Herbert. In 1745 he entered the army as lieutenant colonel. In 1752, his brother, Henry, applied on his behalf to the Prime Minister, Henry Pelham, for the post of Clerk Comptroller of the King’s Household. Pelham replied, explaining that ‘I have a true regard for him ... and a sincere affection for your Lordship’, though an appointment never materialised. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.


(--) William Hoare(1707–92)Lady Henrietta Herbert, later Countess of Powis (1758–1830), c.1770

William Hoare’s portrait of Lady Henrietta Herbert was produced as a pendant to his likeness of her brother, George. She is depicted holding a garland of flowers and wearing a hat decorated with a ribbon and blooms. Later in life, she moved to India with her husband Edward Clive, who was made Governor of Madras in 1798. There, she became a keen amateur botanist, where she created a fine garden and kept a record of the plants in the area of Mysore and the Carnatic region. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

The Lower Tower Bedroom

(--) John Singer Sargent (1856–1925)Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis and Baroness Darcy de Knayth (1865–1929), 1912NT2900018

This bust-length portrait of Violent Lane-Fox was drawn in charcoal by John Singer Sargent in 1912, during the latter stages of his career. By this time, Sargent was living in London having gained international acclaim as a portraitist. Violet and her husband George, 4th Earl of Powis, owned a house at 45 Berkeley Square, and it is here that the portrait was hung. In 1937, shortly before the house was sold, it was listed in the drawing room. Following the sale of the house, it was removed to Powis Castle where it has been on display ever since. (See No. 14 for another likeness of this sitter).

three portraits, from top to bottom:

(--) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)A Lady, called ‘Miss Strachey’, c.1780–1790

The identity of this lady has long been a mystery, though it is believed that she may be one of Sir Henry Strachey’s two daughters. Strachey was appointed private secretary to Lord Clive during the 1760s, and the men became close friends. He benefited from Clive’s financial gains in India and, on his return to Britain in July 1767, he benefited from his political patronage as well. He later married Jane Latham, a cousin of Lady Clive, on 23 May 1770. They had three sons, and two daughters. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany (1753–89), after 1786

This portrait is a copy of Hugh Douglas Hamilton’s original likeness of Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany (Scottish National Portrait Gallery). Charlotte was the illegitimate child of Prince Charles Edward Stuart – ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ – and his mistress, Clementine Walkinshaw. She was the only one of his children to survive infancy. Her baptism into the Catholic faith marked the beginning of a long and bitter dispute, as her father had converted to Protestantism in London. As a result, Charlotte spent most of her life in French convents, estranged from a father who refused to make any provision for her or her mother. However, she was finally reconciled with him in 1784, when he legitimised her and created her Duchess of Albany in the Jacobite Peerage. She subsequently became her father’s carer and companion in the last years of his life, before dying less than two years after him. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

29The Pictures

Above John Singer Sargent (1856–1925)Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis and Baroness Darcy de Knayth (1865–1929), 1912


(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)James Byres of Tonley (1734–1817), c.1790s

This portrait of James Byres is based on a pastel by Hugh Douglas Hamilton (Aberdeen Art Gallery). The sitter was a Scottish architect, antiquary and dealer in old-master paintings. He was from a family of Scottish Jacobite sympathisers, and was taken to the Continent by his parents when they fled Scotland following the failed Rising of 1745. By 1758, he was studying painting in Rome, and by 1768 had been elected to the Roman artists’ guild, the Accademia di San Luca, not as a painter but as an architect. From the early 1760s he was one of the leading figures in the aesthetic world of Rome as experienced by the ‘grand tourist’. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

The Blue Drawing Room

(67) Michael Dahl (1659–1743) Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1700NT1180946

This portrait seems to be very closely related to Michael Dahl’s other likeness of Mary Preston at Powis Castle (No. 23), and may be the product of the same sitting. This modest, highly conventionalised oval format, was used extensively by Dahl during the early 18th century, particularly for aristocratic female subjects.

(58) British School An Unknown Gentleman, possibly Francis Browne, 4th Viscount Montagu (1638–1708), c.1670NT1180940

The identity of this gentleman is uncertain. However, the assumed date, the sitter’s robes, and the Viscount’s coronet on the table, have led to his identification as Francis Browne, 4th Viscount Montagu. Browne was the second husband of Lady Mary Herbert (No. 65) and died without issue. There are no other known portraits of him in existence, which makes his identification here all the more tentative.

ten pastel portraits, clockwise, from top left:

(102) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), c.1788NT1180503

This portrait of Edward Clive was probably executed in Rome in 1788. It was produced by the Irish artist Hugh Douglas Hamilton. After training in Dublin and subsequently working in London, Hamilton travelled to Italy in 1779. He lived in Rome for 12 years, undertaking commissions for pastel portraits from numerous British and Irish grand tourists. By the time that this portrait was produced, he was widely regarded as one of the finest contemporary portraitists working in the medium.

31The Pictures

(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)An Unknown Lady called Miss Probert, c.1790s

The identity of this sitter is unclear, but it is thought to depict ‘Miss Probert’ – a daughter of John Probert, Chief Agent of the Powis Estates. It was produced by Anna Tonelli, a pupil of Hugh Douglas Hamilton in Rome. It was here that Tonelli first came to the attention of Edward Clive. She was later employed in England to teach drawing to his children, and during this time she exhibited works at the Royal Academy in 1794 and 1797. She then accompanied the family to India between 1798 and 1801, where she joined Henrietta and her children on their travels around the country. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(103) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)Lady Henrietta Herbert, Countess of Powis (1758–1830), 1788NT1180770

This portrait of Henrietta Herbert, Countess of Powis, is part of the series commissioned by her husband, Edward Clive, while in Rome in 1788. In her diary, she remarks that during this trip she ‘did not go anywhere but to sit for my picture at Hamilton’s’.

(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)Elizabeth Rolton, Mrs Clive, c.1790s

Elizabeth Rolton was the daughter of John Rolton of Duffield, Derbyshire. In 1790 she married her second cousin William Clive, the brother of Robert Clive, Clive of India. It is thought that this portrait was produced around that time. It seems likely that Tonelli carried out the commission once she had returned to England, where she was employed by Edward Clive. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(113) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)Rebecca Clive, Mrs Robinson (1760–95), 1797NT1180505

Like many of Anna Tonelli’s pastels at Powis, this portrait of Rebecca Clive dates from her time with the family in England. An inscription on the reverse reads: ‘Anna Tonelli copied at Walcot 1797’. Walcot Hall was purchased by Clive of India in 1764 and the estate remained in the family for nearly 200 years. Tonelli evidently spent some time there, producing portraits to add to the series begun by Hugh Douglas Hamilton.


(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), c.1790s

This portrait of Charlotte Clive is a copy of the one produced by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, which hangs nearby (No. 105). It was probably commissioned to hang in one of the family’s other homes – perhaps in London at 45 Berkeley Square, or at Walcot Hall. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(111) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)William Clive (1745–1825), c.1790s

This portrait of William Clive hangs directly below the portrait of his wife, Elizabeth. William was the younger brother of Clive of India, and like him, pursued a political career. He was active in parliament throughout the 1780s and supported the Fox-North Coalition’s East India Bill in 1783. The bill sought to nationalise the East India Company, thus providing the government with a new source of appointments so they could reward and maintain support. Though it was introduced and passed in the Commons, the King remained deeply opposed. He informed the House of Lords that he would regard any peer who voted for the bill as his enemy. The bill was defeated on 17 December 1783 and the King immediately dismissed the coalition. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(105) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), 1788NT1180769

Probably commissioned during her visit to Rome in 1788, this portrait depicts Charlotte with a flamboyantly coiffured and powdered hairdo, which was the height of aristocratic fashion at this time. The style was perhaps most famously adopted by the celebrated beauty and socialite, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, whose portrait was painted on numerous occasions by leading British artists such as Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. The circulation of these images in print played a large part in popularising the fashion throughout the country.

(107) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), 1788

This portrait of Edward Clive is a copy of the one produced by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, which hangs nearby (No. 102). It is one of a number of duplicates produced by Anna Tonelli as counterparts to Hamilton’s original series. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

(104) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)Colonel, The Hon. Robert Clive (1769–1833), 1788NT1180771

Robert, younger brother of Edward, was an English peer and later saw active service in Lord Moira’s camp, India. This animated portrait, probably executed in Rome, conveys Hugh Douglas Hamilton’s mastery of pastel drawing, which he used to great effect to convey the softness of flesh and human hair.

33The Pictures

four pastel portraits, clockwise, from top left:

(108) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)The Hon. Robert Henry Clive (1798–1854), 1794NT1180773

(107) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)Edward (Clive) Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis III (1785–1848), 1794NT1180774

(109) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)Lady Charlotte Florentia Clive, later Duchess of Northumberland (1787–1866), c.1797NT1180775

(110) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)Lady Henrietta Antonia Clive, later Lady Williams-Wynn (1786–1835), 1797NT1180504

These four portraits by Anna Tonelli depict the children of Edward Clive. The artist knew the children intimately, and was employed as their governess in London and India between 1794 and 1802. Her sensitively handled likenesses of them seem to reflect this relationship.


Above Attributed to Charles d’Agar (1699–1723)Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1695

35The Pictures

(61) Attributed to Charles d’Agar (1699–1723)Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1695NT1180941

This full length portrait of Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis, is thought to have been painted on the occasion of her marriage to William, 2nd Marquess of Powis, in 1695. She is depicted in a formal garden setting decorated with classical features such as a large red terracotta urn and a stone balustrade. The urn appears to contain an orange tree – a luxury available only to privileged spheres of society at this time. The painting is attributed to Charles d’Agar, who settled in London in 1691 where he established a successful portrait practice. By the early 18th century he was clearly enjoying some success, and was charging £7 for a head and shoulders and £12 for a three-quarter-length portrait. It is not known how much he charged for a full-length such as this, though it would have been a fairly considerable fee.

(8) John Michael Wright (1617–94)Lady Elizabeth Somerset, Countess (later Marchioness) of Powis (c.1633–91), c.1674NT1180901

Elizabeth Somerset was the younger daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Worcester, and in 1674 married William, 1st Marquess of Powis. As with many of the female portraits in the Powis collection, this picture was probably painted around the time of her wedding. The coronet on the table beside her alludes to her newly acquired status as a countess. The artist, John Michael Wright, was born in London in 1617, though fled to the Continent during the Civil War years. After working in Rome, and subsequently the Netherlands, he returned to London in 1656. Following the Restoration in 1660 he painted various members of the royal family and in 1673 was appointed ‘Picture Drawer’ to Charles II. (See No. 80 for another portrait of this sitter).

(68) Andrea del Brescianino (fl. 1506–25)The Madonna and Child with PuttiNT1181072

This depiction of the Madonna and Christ Child is thought to have been painted by the Sienese artist Andrea del Brescianino. Together with his brother Raffaello, he painted various altarpieces in Tuscany; consequently, their work cannot clearly be separated. In addition to altarpieces they painted mythological figures and small devotional works. Andrea’s most substantial surviving work is the altarpiece depicting the Coronation of the Virgin in the church of SS Pietro e Paolo in Siena. The Powis painting is thought to have been acquired by Clive of India or his son during the 18th century.


(64) After William Larkin (c.1585–1619)Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), c.1800NT1180943

This portrait, which is thought to date from around 1800, is an altered copy of William Larkin’s early 17th-century painting at Charlecote Park. The large five-pointed stars on his robe are motifs from the arms of the Earldom of Montgomery.

(82) John Michael Wright (1617–94)Lord Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk, later Lord Howard of Castle Rising (1628–84), c.1669NT1180956

Henry Howard was the grandson of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel – one of the foremost collectors and patrons of the arts in Britain prior to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642. As was the case with many Catholic families, the war forced the Howards into exile on the Continent. During this time, Henry resided in the Low Countries, and later in Italy, before returning to England following the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660. On his return, he inherited the collection of his grandfather, who had died in 1646. He added to this collection with many new works, and in particular seems to have been greatly interested in his own image. He commissioned portraits of himself from many of the leading painters of the day, including Adrian Hanneman, Sir Peter Lely, Gilbert Soest, and John Michael Wright (who painted this work). His extravagant attire, which appears distinctly eastern in style, perhaps relates to his 1664–5 embassy to the Turkish Emperor in Constantinople.

(106) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)John Probert (c.1732–1818), 1788NT1180772

John Probert started humbly, as a shoe cleaner in the family of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, before moving to Powis Castle as a stable assistant. He became a surveyor, Land Agent to the Earl of Powis, and later Chief Agent of the Powis Castle Estates. His rise from modest beginnings to a position of esteem is demonstrated by his gentlemanly dress, which echoes the attire of Clive family members in other portraits by Hamilton.

(83) John Michael Wright (1617–94) Lady Anne Somerset, Lady Howard (1631–62), c.1662NT1180957

The identity of this sitter in this portrait has been the subject of some discussion, though the theme of ‘death’ is certain. The cypress trees in the background were often used to symbolise death and the afterlife; the wreath held by the sitter contains flowers that are visibly dying; and the large stone edifice she leans on appears to be a tomb. One theory is that this is a portrait of Lady Elizabeth Somerset, mourning the loss of her sister Anne, who died in 1662. There is a clear resemblance with John Michael Wright’s later portrait of Elizabeth at Powis (No. 8). However, there is an even stronger similarity with a portrait of Anne, also by Wright, at Arundel Castle. This suggests, perhaps, that this is in fact a posthumous portrait of Lady Anne Howard, painted as a memorial.

37

The Exit Passage

(--) Richard Whitford (fl.1854–87)

These seven paintings of prize bulls illustrate the immense pride of Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818–91) in the farming achievements at Powis in the 19th century. The animals were bred at the property’s home farm in the 1870s. The prizes won by the individual bulls are recorded on the frames. The artist, Richard Whitford, was a renowned painter of livestock. Queen Victoria was among a number of notable collectors who owned his work.

A Prize Bull in a Landscape, 1878NT2900006In 1877 and 1878 this bull won 1st prize at the Smithfield Club, London.

A Prize Bull in a Landscape, c.1876NT2900005In 1876 this bull won 1st prize at the Bath & West of England Show, Hereford; 1st prize at the West Midland Show, Owestry; 1st prize at the Smithfield Club, London; and 1st prize at Bingley Hall, Birmingham.

A Prize Bull in a Landscape, c.1876NT2900003In 1876 this bull won 1st prize at the Bath & West of England Show, Hereford; 1st prize at the West Midland Show, Owestry; 2nd prize at the Smithfield Club, London; and 2nd prize at Bingley Hall, Birmingham.

A Prize Bull in a Barn, 1875NT2900008In 1874 this bull won 2nd prize at the Smithfield Club, London.

A Prize Bull in a Landscape, 1873NT2900007In 1872 this bull won 3rd prize at the Smithfield Club, London.

A Prize Bull in a Wooded River Landscape, c.1878NT2900004In 1878 this bull won 2nd prize at the Smithfield Club, London.

A Prize Bull by a Gate, 1878NT2900009In 1877 this bull won 2nd prize at Bingley Hall, Birmingham.


The Clive Museum

The Clive Museum at Powis Castle houses the vast collection of Indian artefacts and curiosities assembled by Clive of India and his family in the 18th century. This picture guide deals solely with the British and Continental oil paintings in the museum; a separate guidebook for the Indian treasures is also available.

The Staircase

(25) Manner of Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1595–1677), early 17th centuryNT1180911

Robert Sidney was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625. He succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester in 1626. During his retirement he lived at Penshurst in Kent, where he died at the age of 81. He was later noted in the Parliamentary History of Wales as being ‘esteemed of great learning, observation and veracity’. X-rays reveal that at some point extensive changes were made to this painting. In particular, the sitter was previously shown holding a grey hat decorated with crimson feathers in his left hand. In addition, a coat of arms with a lion passant and the motto ‘plus ultra’ was previously in the top-right corner of the canvas. This may suggest, perhaps, that the canvas was originally intended for a different sitter.

(--) Charles Clive (fl. 1764–75) Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1764NT1181252

This full-length portrait of Clive of India depicts him in full robes, standing beside his Baron’s coronet. On the wall behind him, in a prominent position, is a portrait of the Indian army commander Mir Jafar. Jafar famously made an agreement with Clive to overthrow the Nawab (governor) of Bengal in 1757, and in doing so betrayed his fellow countrymen. As a result, Clive was able to establish the rule of the British East India Company and Jafar was installed as the new Nawab. This painting evidently pays homage to their pact. (On loan from Shrewsbury Museum Service).

(69) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)Lady Lucy Graham, Countess of Powis (1793–1875), c.1845NT1180947

Lady Lucy Graham was the daughter of the 3rd Duke of Montrose. In 1818 she married Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. She is depicted here wearing a pink dress with a white shawl, a headdress and a string of pearls. She delicately holds a posy of blooms, carefully selected to complement the colour of her outfit. The mountainous wooded landscape behind her seems reminiscent of the Shropshire Hills, not far from Powis Castle.

39The Clive Museum

AboveManner of Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1595–1677), early 17th century


(70) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)Edward (Clive) Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis III (1785–1848), 1845NT1180948

Edward Herbert was the grandson of Clive of India, though in accordance with his uncle’s will he took the name Herbert in 1807. This was a condition of his inheriting the Powis Castle estates. He was MP for Ludlow between 1806 and 1839, and sat in the House of Lords between 1843 and 1847 where he was successful in his proposal to unite the dioceses of Bangor and St Asaph. This portrait was clearly painted to commemorate this achievement: in his left hand he holds a document inscribed ‘Saint Asaph and Bangor Dioceses a Bill’. The artist, Francis Grant, was renowned for his unaffected approach to male portraiture. The sense of immediacy in this portrait, with no hint of ostentation, epitomises both his style and the character of his sitter.

(71) Frederick Richard Say (1805–60)Lady Lucy Graham, Countess of Powis (1793–1875), c.1830NT1180949

This portrait of Lucy Graham shows her sitting against an elegant backdrop of a classical column and urn with a glimpse of a landscape beyond. Voluptuous red and gold drapery winds its way around the column, flowing into the graceful fabric of her white gown and black shawl to fill a vast expanse of the canvas. She holds a crayon and a large drawing book, suggesting her artistic sensibilities. The artist, Frederick Richard Say, was a highly successful portrait painter who gained commissions from many illustrious patrons including Earl Grey, the Duke of Wellington, George IV and Prince Albert. From 1826 to 1854 he exhibited at the Royal Academy and the British Institution.

41The Clive Museum

The Ballroom

(5) Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland RA (1735–1811)Margaret Maskelyne, Lady Clive (1735–1817), c.1770–1774NT1181067

Margaret Maskelyne was the daughter of Edward Maskelyne of Purton, Wiltshire. In 1753 she married Clive of India in Madras after meeting him at Fort St David on the Coromandel Coast. The musical score on the table in this portrait is thought to reflect her passion for music.

(74) British SchoolHenry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis II, with his Wife and Children, c.1760NT1180951

In this family portrait, Henry Herbert is shown standing in a statesmanlike manner, accompanied by his dog in an outdoors setting, framed by a grand archway. His confident stance and grandiose gesture reflects his esteemed status as an influential figure in politics and royal administration. To the right of the composition, his wife Barbara assumes a motherly role: she sits within a magnificent interior and is accompanied by their two young children, George and Henrietta. This representation of husband and wife in contrasting roles resonates with contemporary portraits of King George III with his wife, Queen Charlotte, and their children.


(73) James Ward (1769–1859)A Chestnut Stallion in the Grounds of Powis Castle, 1818NT1180950

James Ward was the most important animal painter of his generation. He was particularly renowned for his lively depiction of horses, in which vigorous brushstrokes and bold colours convey a feeling of movement and energy. Even when depicting animals at rest, Ward managed to retain a strong sense of dynamism. This is particularly evident in this painting of a stallion in the grounds at Powis: though it is at standstill its mane and tail flap in the wind and the warm light of the sun enhances the definition of its musculature, suggesting the potential of great power.

(80) Jacob Huysmans (c.1633–c.1696)Lady Elizabeth Somerset, Countess (later Marchioness) of Powis (c.1633–1691), 1680s

Jacob Huysmans was a Flemish portrait painter. He came to England shortly before the Restoration of 1660 and established himself as one of the leading portrait painters at the court of Charles II. As a Roman Catholic he was favoured by Charles’ wife, Catharine of Braganza. When the diarist Samuel Pepys visited Huysmans’ workshop in Westminster on 26 August 1664, he noted that the artist’s portraits were ‘as good pictures, I think, as ever I saw’. During his time in England, Huysmans’ style remained in keeping with the flamboyant continental fashions of the day. This portrait of Lady Elizabeth Somerset is a fine example of this manner. (See No. 8 for another portrait of this sitter). On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.

43The Clive Museum

(114) Benjamin West (1738–1820)Shah ‘Alam, Mughal Emperor, conveying the Grant of the Diwani to Lord Clive, August 1765, c.1818

This painting by Benjamin West depicts events that took place in the northern Indian city of Allahabad on 12 August 1765. On this historic day, the Mughal Emperor Shah ‘Alam granted administrative powers of multiple Indian territories (known as the ‘diwani’) to Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’. The occasion marked the culmination of Clive’s diplomatic successes in India, and foundation of the British Raj (raj meaning ‘rule’ in Hindi). The artist captures the exact moment when the Emperor, seated on a platform and wearing a lavish outfit of gold brocade, hands over the grant in the form of a scroll to Robert Clive, who wears full uniform in bright red. Representatives from either side surround the scene, bearing banners and flags of their respective nations. While there is a heightened sense of occasion present in this picture, the actual event took place in far more modest circumstances, reportedly in Clive’s tent. West’s original version of this painting was commissioned for Lord Clive around 1774 and today hangs in Oakly Park, Shropshire. This version, also by West, was commissioned by Lord Clive’s son Edward and presented to the East India Company in 1820. On loan to the National Trust from the British Library.

(77) Thomas Hickey (1741–1824)Prince Azim-ud-Daula, Nawab of the Carnatic (1775–1819) and his Son Azam Jah (1800–74), 1803NT1180953

Azim-ud-Daula was Nawab of the Carnatic region of India from 1801 until his death in 1819. The title ‘Nawab’ was bestowed by the Mughal Emperor upon princely Muslim rulers and can be best understood, perhaps, as a similar distinction to a British peerage. The primary duty of a Nawab was to uphold the sovereignty of the Mughal Emperor along with the administration of a certain province. The artist who painted this portrait, Thomas Hickey, was born in Dublin but spent much of his career travelling around Asia, particularly in India. He gained most of his commissions from members of the British East India Company and their Indian allies.


(79) Jan Weenix the younger (1642–1719)Landscape with Huntsman and Dead Game, late 17th centuryNT1181073

Jan Weenix was a Dutch artist, best known for his paintings of dead game and hunting scenes. This type of subject matter was extremely popular during the 17th and 18th centuries and ‘game pieces’, as they were often known, were staple features in British country houses at that time. In both its physical scale and pictorial complexity, this is perhaps one of Weenix’s most ambitious works. It combines figure and animal studies with careful observations of flora and fauna, architectural features and a dramatic landscape; in doing so it showcases the impressive breadth of the his artistic talents. The painting was bought by Clive of India in 1771 for £315. Records indicate that it was purchased from a dealer named Greenwood who had imported it from Holland. The deal was engineered for Clive by the artist Benjamin West. It originally hung in Clive’s London house, 45 Berkeley Square.

(78) Richard Rothwell (1800–68)The Six Children of Charles John Herbert (1785–1823) and Louisa Middleton (1796–1828), 1828–31NT1180954

Charles John Herbert and his wife Louisa lived at Muckross Abbey, Killarney. After Charles’ early death at the age of 37, in 1823, Louisa took the children to live at her family home at Bradford Peverell, in Dorset, however, she died soon after in 1828, when Richard Rothwell began work on this group portrait. The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831, shortly after its completion. As a depiction of six orphaned siblings, Rothwell’s sentimental rendering of the Herbert children would have been all the more poignant for visitors to the exhibition.

45A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle

(81) Charles Grignion the younger (1754–1804)The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), 1787NT1180955

This portrait of Charlotte Clive was painted in Rome by the artist Charles Grignion the Younger. Grignion studied in Paris under J.P. Le Bas and then at Gravelot’s drawing school in Covent Garden, alongside Thomas Gainsborough. During his lifetime, he enjoyed a successful career as an engraver, mainly of historical scenes and book illustrations. In 1782 he won a Royal Academy scholarship to Rome and remained in Italy until his death. His depiction of Charlotte Clive shows her holding a large folio of the kind used to contain drawings, thus implying her leisured enjoyment of art – a desirable attribute for an aristocratic lady of the time.


AboveStudio of Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770

47A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle

(4) Studio of Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770NT1181066

This portrait of Robert Clive is derived from Nathaniel Dance-Holland’s full length picture which hangs in Powis Castle (No. 33). It shows him wearing military uniform, adorned with the ribbon of the Order of the Bath – an honour which he received in 1764. The Indian curiosities amassed by Robert Clive are central to the Clive Museum collection as it appears today. However, such was his enthusiasm for collecting Indian treasures and mementoes that his family members continued to do so after he died, contributing to the magnificent array of objects on show.

(97) Attributed to Thomas Hickey (1741–1824)An unidentified Nawab, c.1790sNT1180967

The identity of the man in this portrait is uncertain. Traditionally, it has been referred to as Prince Azim-ud-Daula, Nawab of the Carnatic (1775–1819), though the facial appearance is markedly different from No. 77, which is more confidently identified as that sitter. Another candidate is Umdat-ul-Umara (1748–1801), the previous Nawab of the Carnatic region, who held that position from 1795 to 1801. There is a strong resemblance with a portrait of Umdat by the British artist Tilly Kettle, sold at Christie’s in 2000. Umdat ul-Umara was an ally of the British East India Company and had close connections with Clive of India. However, this relationship turned sour in 1799 when he was accused of betraying the British by collaborating with Tipu Sultan. He died in mysterious circumstances only two years later, in what was rumoured by some to have been a deliberate poisoning.

(--) James Northcote (1746–1831)Sir Henry Strachey (1737–1810), late 18th centuryNT1181214

Sir Henry Strachey was appointed private secretary to Lord Clive in India in 1762, and held the position until 1768 when he was returned to Parliament for Pontefract. His portrait, by James Northcote, was probably painted around the time that the artist was working as a pupil and studio assistant to Sir Joshua Reynolds. Northcote later came to consider himself an authority on his master and in 1813, after Reynolds’ death, he published his posthumous Memoirs of Sir Joshua Reynolds.


The moral right of the author has been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

© National Trust Books 2016Registered Charity no: 205846

Acknowledgements

The National Trust gratefully acknowledges a generous bequest from the late Mr and Mrs Kenneth Levy that has supported the cost of preparing this book.

Illustrations: National Trust pp.2, 4 (top and bottom), 5 (top and bottom), 6, 7, 10 (top), 13 (top and bottom), 20, 23, 25, 39, 41; National Trust Images cover, pp.12 (top), 24, 42 (top), 44, 45; National Trust/Claire Bates pp.8 (top and bottom), 13 (centre), 19 (top and centre), 34, 40, (bottom), 43; National Trust/John Hammond pp.9, 10 (bottom), 14, 15 (top and bottom), 16 (top and bottom), 17 (top and bottom), 19 (bottom), 20, 29, 33, 35, 36, 40 (top), 42 (bottom) 46; National Trust/Matthew Hollow pp.12 (bottom), 36 37 (left and right); National Trust/Erik Pelham p.31.

Text written by Dr Peter MooreEdited by Claire ForbesDesigned by Level Partnership, Cranbrook, Kent

Cover: Detail from A Chestnut Stallion in the Grounds of Powis Castle 1818, by James Ward (1769–1859)

Discover the wealth of our collections – great art and treasures to see and enjoy throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland – see our website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/houses-and-buildings/collections/

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