Medium
oil on wood panel
Measurements
17.7 × 15.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Mrs E. Swinburne, 1941
Gallery location
19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
The American born painter Mather Brown went to Europe in 1781 to study and work, and remained there for the rest of his life. This remarkably fresh portrait of George, 1st Marquess of Townshend is a reduced replica of a larger canvas he painted in 1801, which may have been exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. It is thought to have been made by the artist for an engraving by the printmaker known only as Mackenzie published in 1808. Painted rapidly, ‘wet into wet’, it reveals the lively use of paint, and broad handling of detail for which Brown was much admired.
Accession Number
1109-4
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Military and Warfare Portraits
Subjects (specific)
epaulets half figures marquises (noblemen) men (male humans) military uniforms officials soldiers Townshend, George
Provenance
Possibly purchased by George Swinburne (1861–1928), in London, during the period 1888–1925, on the advice of Rev. W. G. Beardmore; collection of George and Ethel Swinburne, Shenton, Hawthorn, until 1928; collection of Mrs Ethel Swinburne (d. 1947), Shenton, Hawthorn, 1928–41; by whom donated to the NGV, 1941.