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George IV of England
(1818-1830)
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
90.5 × 71.6 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of John H. Connell, 1914
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Thomas Lawrence initially fashioned this image of a dashing George IV while the monarch was still Prince Regent. This idealized impression of George IV became very popular, with dozens of copies being created by Lawrence and his studio and acquired widely by supporters of the King. In lifestyle and taste, the Prince Regent set the tone for the many followers attracted to his court. His patronage and support of artists, designers and architects, such as John Nash, directly affected what became known as the ‘Regency Style’. This promoted a simple elegance based on Neoclassical principals but also often sported an Orientalist flair.
Artwork Details
Accession Number
659-2
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)
Law, Civics and Protest Portraits
Subjects (specific)
chains of office George IV, King of Great Britain kings (people) men (male humans) princes (rulers) rulers (people) three-quarter views
Frame
The painting, attributed to Thomas Lawrence, is framed in the style associated with Lawrence.
These ogee profiled frames are extensively ornamented with fine composition mouldings of repeating scrolled, foliate patterns. The corners characteristically embellished with cabochons and scrolled leaves, also in composition.
The carver & gilder stamp on the reverse is yet to be deciphered.
Frames with this form start appearing in Australia around the middle of the nineteenth century and continue into the 1870’s, particularly in the work of William Wilson in Tasmania and W.R. Stevens and Isaac Whitehead in Melbourne.
Thomas Lawrence used them primarily for portraits, in Australia they appear more often on landscape paintings.
The painting was cleaned and restored in 2010.
Frame Details
Framemaker
Unknown - 19th century