Portrait of William IV is an 1833 portrait painting by the Irish artist Sir Martin Archer Shee depicting William IV, the last monarch of the House of Hanover.[1][2]
| Portrait of William IV | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Martin Archer Shee |
| Year | 1833 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait |
| Dimensions | 270.3 cm × 179 cm (106.4 in × 70 in) |
| Location | Royal Collection, Windsor Castle |
Shee had succeeded his fellow portrait painter Thomas Lawrence as President of the Royal Academy in 1830. He had painted William a number of times over the decades, most notably his 1800 Portrait of the Duke of Clarence at a time when William as third son of his father George III was considered unlikely to succeed to the throne. Following the death of his elder brother George IV he became king in 1830, reigning for seven years. He was himself succeeded by his eighteen-year-old niece Queen Victoria in 1837.
It shows the king in his robes as a member of the Order of the Garter with Windsor Castle in the background. His hand rests on the hilt of a sword with the St Edward's Crown and sceptre on a cushion. Originally William intended to send the painting to the Anglo-Irish politician Richard, Marquess Wellesley who was then serving as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Impressed by it, he chose instead to keep it to hang in the Throne Room at Windsor Castle. It remains in the Royal Collection today.[3]
See also
edit- Portrait of William IV, an 1832 portrait by the Scottish artist David Wilkie hanging in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor
References
edit- ^ Ormond p.46
- ^ Lambourne p.65
- ^ "Sir Martin Archer Shee (1769-1850) - William IV (1765-1837)". www.rct.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
Bibliography
edit- Lambourne, Lionel. Victorian Painting. Phaidon, 1999.
- Ormond, Richard, The Face of Monarchy: British Royalty Portrayed. Phaidon, 1977.
- Van Der Kiste, John. William IV: The Last Hanoverian King of Britain. Pen and Sword History, 2022.
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