George Romney (Nr. Dalton-in-Furness, Lancs 1734-1802 Kendal, Cumbria)

Portrait of Sir William Fraser, of Ledeclune (1737-1818), three-quarter-length, in a black coat, holding a document, beside a map of Papua New Guinea and folio volumes lettered 'Gardiner, Logar.' and 'Mayer, Tables'

Details

George Romney (Nr. Dalton-in-Furness, Lancs 1734-1802 Kendal, Cumbria)
Portrait of Sir William Fraser, of Ledeclune (1737-1818), three-quarter-length, in a black coat, holding a document, beside a map of Papua New Guinea and folio volumes lettered 'Gardiner, Logar.' and 'Mayer, Tables'
inscribed and dated '1762 Precepts for clear distance of moon from sun and stars effects. Refrac Parallx' (lower left, on document) and inscribed 'PAPUA or NEW GUINEA' (centre left, on map)
oil on canvas
35¾ x 28 in. (90.8 x 71.1 cm.)
in a George III carved and gilded 'Maratta' frame

Provenance

(Probably) with Colnaghi, London, 1921.
(Probably) with O. Gutekunst, by 1925.
Acquired from Leggatt Brothers, London, in 1931, by Harold Pearson, 2nd Viscount Cowdray.

Literature

H. Ward and W. Roberts, Romney, Catalogue Raisonné, London, 1904, p. 58.
C. Anson, A Catalogue of Pictures and Drawings in the Collection of The Viscount Cowdray, London, 1971, p. 13, no. 37 (in the Dining Room).

Exhibited

(Probably) New York, Grand Central Art Galleries, 1925.

Engraved

Benjamin Smith, stipple engraving, 1806.

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Lot Essay

The sitter was a ship's captain in the East India Company, commanding the Lord Mansfield in 1772 and the Earl of Mansfield between 1777 and 1785, trading with India, south-east Asia and China. He is celebrated as being one of the first to fix the longitude at sea through lunar observation; an achievement referenced in this portrait in the document that he is holding. It is also believed that Fraser was involved with the efforts of Thomas Forest to explore New Guinea in 1774 and establish its trading potential for the East India Company. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1791 and was created a baronet in 1806.

We are grateful to Alex Kidson for confirming the attribution. Another version of this portrait was offered at Sotheby's, London, 22 November 2007, lot 48.

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