Prime Ministers

In the week of Margaret Thatcher's death, a selection of portraits of some of her predecessors as Prime Minister:

Sir Robert Walpole [not technically Prime Minister but generally regarded as having held the post de facto 1721-42]:

 Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford. Prime Minister to King George the First, & King George the Second. In the Blue Damask Bed Chamber at Houghton.
Vanloo pinxit. James Watson Sculpsit.
Published Jan.y 1.st 1788, by John & Josiah Boydell, No.90, Cheapside, London.
Mezzotint, very fine with small margins. Plate 502 x 349mm. 19¾ x 13¾".
NPG: D39367. Goodwin: 131. CS: 149.
[Ref: 27338]   £480








Henry Pelham (1743-54):

 The Right Honourable Henry Pelham, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and John Roberts Esq.r.
J.Shackleton Pinx.t R.Houston fecit.
Printed and Sold by Jos. Edmondson, at his House in Warwick Street, Golden Square, St James's. [n.d., c.1752.]
Mezzotint. 395 x 390mm. Ex: Collection of The Hon. C. Lennox-Boyd.
[Ref: 5488]   £330








William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham (1766-8):

 Pitt, Earl of Chatham; 1766.
J. Chapman Sculp.
Published as the Act directs March 1.st 1824.
Stipple with large margins. Plate 159 x 109mm. 6¼ x 4¼". One of a number of stipple heads of Kings and Queens of similar format printed on quarto sheets, by Chapman, published by J. Wilkes, 1795-1810. They probably appeared as illustrations to the 'Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature ... Embellished by ... engravings. Compiled ... by John Wilkes'.
[Ref: 27058]   £50.00   (£60.00 incl.VAT)







Augustus Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1768-70):

 [The Duke of Grafton.]
JS[ayers] ff.
Published 14th May 1782 by C.Bretherton [crossed].
Etching on thick watermarked laid paper, 175 x 110mm. 7 x 4¼". Uncut, large margins.
Caricature portrait of Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735 - 1811); standing in profile to the left, his hands both thrust into his waistcoat. Numbered faintly '9'? upper left. The publisher Charles Bretherton (c.1760 fl - 1783) was the younger brother of James Bretherton.
BM Satires 6060. NPG D9769.
[Ref: 21356]   £70.00   (£84.00 incl.VAT)






William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1783; 1807-9):

His Grace the Duke of Portland.   
Painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Engraved by John Murphy.
London, Publish'd March 31st; 1785, by Wm. Austin Drawing Master & Print-Merchant at No 41 St. James's Street, & for the Engraver by W. Dickinson, No.158 Bond Street.
Mezzotint, scratched letters, 505 x 355mm. 20 x 14". Age toned; slight surface scratching.
William Henry Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Portland, (1738 – 1809), statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. Cavendish was owner of the "Portland Vase" when it was copied by Josiah Wedgwood and subsequently placed it in the British Museum on loan until the Museum purchased the vase in 1945.
Hamilton: pg.55. Chaloner Smith: 13, II.
[Ref: 17787]   £320



William Pitt the Younger (1783-1801; 1804-6):

To the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Pitt Club. This Portrait of Right Honorable William Pitt. One of the ablest and most disinterested Statesman the World ever produced Is humbly dedicated by th Publisher. Born, May 28th. 1759. Chancellor of the Exchequer 1782, First Lord of the Treasury 1783. Died 1800.
Painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A. Engraved by S.W.Reynolds.
London, Published 1837, by the Proprietor, and to be had of Ackermann & Co. Strand. Printed by Arnald & Fisher.
A very scarce mezzotint. Plate 552 x 412mm. 21¾ x 16¼". Some restoration.
W: 238 only state.
[Ref: 15070]   £280




William Wyndham Grenvile, 1st Lord Grenville (1806-7):

The Right Honble. Lord Grenville.
Painted by T. Phillips R.A. Engraved by J. Fittler A.R.A.
London Publish'd as the Act directs by J. Fittler No 62. Upper Charlotte Street Fitzroy Square March. 1812.
Large engraving, title in open letters, 530 x 395mm. 20¾ x 15½".
Portrait of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1759 - 1834), Prime Minister, standing to the left. To left, a view of Christ Church seen through window.
[Ref: 24080]   £220








George Canning (1827):

George Canning Esqr. M:P.
Painted by Jn. Hoppner Esqr. R.A. Portrait painter to his R.H. the Prince of Wales. Engraved by Jno. Young Engraver in Mezzotinto to his R.H. the Prince of Wales.
London Published January 1st; 1799, by I. Young No.58, Upper Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square.
Mezzotint printed in colour, 505 x 355mm. 20 x 14".
Fine portrait of George Canning (1770-1827), Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister for 119 days, the shortest term ever. In a library, fine book bindings visible behind.
Chaloner Smith: 11, unrecorded state before I. Russell: 11, II. Ex: Collection of The Hon. C. Lennox-Boyd.
[Ref: 10568]   £550





Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1828-30; 1834):

Wellington [facsimile signature.] Woburn Abbey July 28 1841 London.
A. Maurin [within image, lower right]. Imp. Lemercier, Benard et Cie [within image, lower left].
Published by A.H. & C.E. Baily Printsellers to her Majesty. No 1 Freemans Court & 83 Cornhill.
Lithograph on india. 475 x 387mm. 18¾ x 15¼".
This portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), Field Marshal and Prime Minister shows him in a reflective demeanour surrounded by military memorabilia.
[Ref: 17948]   £140.00   (£168.00 incl.VAT)  
 










   
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1830-4):

The Right Hon.ble Charles Earl Grey.
T. Phillips Esq R.A. Pinx.t. C.Turner sculp.t.
London Pub.d May 28, 1811 by A. Molteno, Printseller to H.R.H. the Dutchess of York 29 Pall Mall.
Mezzotint. 355 x 255mm, 14 x 10". Uncut, with large margins.
Charles Grey (1764-1845), 2nd Earl Grey, Whig Prime Minister 1830-34. His political achievements included the Reform Act of 1832, and the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire in 1833, but is best known today for giving his name to the aromatic blend of tea.
[Ref: 21866]   £230







Lord John Russell (1846-52; 1865-6):

Lord John Russell. Premier 1849.
[n.d. c.1860.]
A rare mezzotint, Plate 363 x 251mm. 14¼ x 10". Trimmed close to the platemark.
Lord John Russell (1792-1878), the English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 19th century.
[Ref: 19672]   £220










Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1855-8; 1859-65):

Lord Viscount Palmerston, K.G. First Lord of the Treasury. From the original Picture painted for the Harrow Library A.D. 1863.
Painted by F. Grant R.A. Engraved by F. Holl & G. Zobel.
London, Published September 11th 1865, by Henry Graves & Co. the Proprietors, Publishers to the Queen, 6 Pall Mall.
Mezzotint, title in open letters, 555 x 430mm. 21¾ x 17". NPG D39516. From Broadlands home of Palmerston family.
[Ref: 27550]   £260







 Benjamin Disraeli (1868; 1874-80):

[Earl of Beaconsfield K.G.]
Professor H. Von Angeli. T. L. Atkinson.
London Published March 1st. 1878 by P. & D. Colnaghi & Co. 13 & 14 Pall Mall East.
Mezzotint on india with Printsellers' blindstamp. 355 x 465mm. One of 375 limited edition proofs. Tears in wide margins.
Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, Viscount Hughenden of Hughenden, [1804-1881] British statesman and novelist.
[Ref: 6353]   £520








William Ewart Gladstone (1868-74; 1880-85; 1886; 1892-4):

[The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, MP.]

(Painted by John Everett Millais Engraved by Thomas Oldham Barlow) Signed in Pencil.
Published by Thos. Agnew & Son London, Liverpool & Manchester May 20th 1881. Entered According to an Acot of Congress in 1881 Knoedler & Co. in the Office of the Libraries of Congress at Washington.
Mezzotint engraving, india proof, 610 x 455mm, 24 x 18inches. Slight rubbed area centre left of subject. 

Monogram of Sir John Everett Millais, Bt., P.R.A. (1829-1896) within the image. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery,
[Ref: 19736]   £520

Arthur Balfour (1902-5):

[Arthur Balfour.] 
 [Painted by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema] Minnie Cormack [pencil signature.]
[British, c.1890.]
Rare Mezzotint on india laid paper, signed engraver's proof, 520 x 390mm. 20½ x 15¼". Crease to image lower right; some loss of india surface below image.
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (1848 - 1930), Prime Minister and philosopher.
The oil painting by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836 - 1912), exhibited 1891, is on display in the Dining Room at Bodelwyddan Castle n Denbighshire, North Wales.
See NPG: 2949.
[Ref: 17460]   £220





Herbert Henry Asquith (1908-16):


The Rt Hon H. H. Asquith. M.P. [small italics, above image.] After the picture by Sir John Lavery A.R.A. presented to the Reform Club. Engraved by Norman Hirst 1918(?). John Lavery. Norman Hirst. [pencil signatures.]
Photogravure on india laid paper, signed artist's proof, 595 x 355mm. 23½ x 14".
[Ref: 13943]   £360










 





David Lloyd George (1816-22):

 Les Grands Hommes de la Grande Guerre. Planche No.9. M. Lloyd Georges. Lloyd Georges, ex-ministre d'Angleterre, est de naissance villageoise tres modeste. Il devint, jeune encore, un avocat d'une grande notoriete . . . Malheureusement il nous faut constater, qu'apres 1918, il se montra maintes fois en contradiction avec la politique de la France, vis-à-vis de l'Allemagne.
Imageries Reunies Jarville-Nancy. Deposee.
[n.d. c.1920.]
Coloured woodcut. 412 x 303mm. 16¼ x 12".
David Lloyd George (1863-1945), first Welsh Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the only Prime Minister to have spoken English as a second language.
[Ref: 16908]   £140.00   (£168.00 incl.VAT)




Sir Winston Churchill (1940-45; 1951-55):

[Winston Churchill.]
Vera Down. [pencil signature.]
Published by the New World Galleries Ltd 86/8 Queen Victoria St London E.C.4 Sept. 1941. Copyright.
Etching. Plate 305 x 230mm. 12" x 9". A fine impression; slight creasing in margins bottom left.
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874 - 1965), as wartime Prime Minister. Remarque of a battleship below.
[Ref: 26970]   £180.00   (£216.00 incl.VAT)