A Guide to the Pictures
at Powis Castle
Dr Peter Moore
A Guide to the Pictures
at Powis Castle
by Dr Peter Moore
Contents
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle 3
The Pictures 4
The Smoking Room 4
The State Dining Room 5
The Library 10
The Oak Drawing Room 13
The Gateway 18
The Long Gallery 20
The Walcot Bedroom 24
The Gallery Bedroom 26
The Duke’s Room 26
The Lower Tower Bedroom 28
The Blue Drawing Room 30
The Exit Passage 37
The Clive Museum 38
The Staircase 38
The Ballroom 41
Acknowledgements 48
2
Above
Thomas Gainsborough RA, c.1763
Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III as a Boy
See page 13
3
Introduction
Occupying a grand situation, high up on
a rocky prominence, Powis Castle began
life as a 13th-century fortress for the
Welsh prince, Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn.
However, its present incarnation dates
from the 1530s, when Edward Grey, Lord
Powis, took possession of the site and
began a major rebuilding programme.
The castle he created soon became
regarded as the most imposing noble
residence in North and Central Wales.
In 1578, the castle was leased to Sir
Edward Herbert, the second son of
William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke,
and Anne Parr, sister of Catherine
Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. Nine
years later, in 1587, Edward managed
to purchase the castle and the estate,
securing an impressive ancestral seat for
future generations of the Herbert family.
During the course of the following
four centuries, the Herberts transformed
Powis into a lavish and comfortable
home, but not without having to endure
their fair share of hardship. While they
earned great fortunes, they also amassed
new debts. Though they gained titles
and honours, they suffered exile and
disgrace at various times too. The
picture collection accumulated through
these years reflects this turbulent family
history. It provides a unique glimpse into
the lives of those who have shaped and
developed the story of Powis Castle.
One of the most notable features of
the collection is the impressive run of
family portraits, which account for nearly
three-quarters of the paintings on display.
From the earliest, depicting William
Herbert and his wife Eleanor in 1595,
to the most recent, showing Christian
Herbert in 1977, these images not only
help us to explore and understand
very intimate personal stories, but also
speak eloquently of changing tastes in
fashion and material culture over an
extraordinarily long timespan. They also
provide a fascinating insight into the art
of portrait painting itself – allowing us
to see how different people at different
times wanted their likenesses to be
preserved in very different ways.
The collection also contains fine
examples of other categories of painting,
from religious and classical subjects,
to battle scenes, still-life paintings
and landscapes. Completing this rich
assortment, the Clive Museum houses a
rare collection of images relating to the
early period of British India, including
portraits of those who shaped this
colonial culture as well as native Indians
who found themselves part of it.
Arranged according to the visitor route
around the castle, this publication lists
the pictures in the order that they will
typically be encountered, thus serving as
a companion guide. It provides readers
with a concise introduction to each
work, noting the key facts and figures
and offering some interpretation. It is
very much hoped that this will encourage
and stimulate further exploration of
Powis Castle’s wonderful art collection.
Dr Peter Moore
2015
4
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The Pictures
N.B. All pictures, unless otherwise stated, are oil on canvas. The pictures appear
here in the order in which they are encountered on the visitor route. Where old
in-house inventory numbers are present on the works, they have been included
here to aid identification; where they are not, the prefix (--) is used.
The Smoking Room
(19) British School
Thomas Parr, ‘Old Parr’ (?1483–1635), 17th century
NT1180907
Thomas Parr was a Shropshire farm labourer
who rose to fame in the 17th century on account
of his unfathomably old age. Legend has it
that when he died in 1635 he was 152 years old.
Shortly before his death he was brought to
London by the Earl of Arundel where he became
an object of curiosity and was widely known as
‘Old Parr’. He was presented to the king and
enjoyed something of a celebrity status. He was
the subject of a popular pamphlet titled ‘The
Old, Old, Very Old Man or the Age and Long Life
of Thomas Parr’. He did not survive life in the
city for very long, though he clearly made a big
impact; he was buried in Westminster Abbey
where his small white marble gravestone can still
be seen in the centre of the south transept.
(..) After Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–92)
Mary Darby, Mrs Thomas Robinson, ‘Perdita’, c.1775
NT1181074
Mary Darby was a famous actress, best
known for playing the role of Perdita in the
1779 production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s
Tale. She gained notoriety as the first public
mistress of King George IV while he was still
Prince of Wales. Her affair with him ended in
1781 amidst much publicity; after threatening
to publish the prince’s letters, she returned
them in exchange for £5,000 and a small
annuity. This painting derives from one of the
many portraits of her by Joshua Reynolds, and
may have been copied from an engraving. The
theatricality of her costume and the flamboyant
red drapery behind her seems highly fitting
for her popular reputation and character.
The Pictures
(116) Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588–c.1655)
Portrait of an Unknown Man
(117) Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588–c.1655)
Portrait of an Unknown Man
Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy was a portrait painter of the Dutch ‘Golden Age’ – a
period of the 17th century when the Netherlands led the way in global trade, art,
science and technology. Many of Pickenoy’s portraits depict figures who made their
fortunes during these years. The unknown man and woman in these two portraits
have not been identified, although they probably fit into this category. Their fine
clothing appears of the quality and style that would befit such status. It is possible
that they were citizens of Amsterdam, where the artist enjoyed a highly successful
career. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The State Dining Room
(1) George Romney (1734–1802)
Rebecca Clive, Mrs Robinson (1760–95), late 18th century
NT1181063
Rebecca Clive was the eldest daughter of Robert, ‘Clive of
India’. She married General John Robinson in 1780. This
painting is probably the full-length portrait of her that the
artist George Romney began but never finished, which was
sold for 20 guineas in 1805. The canvas was later cut down
to a three-quarter-length and completed by an unknown
artist named ‘Mr Brown’, at the request of General Robinson.
Romney was originally from Cumbria, but he settled in London
in 1762 where he rose to fame as one the most fashionable
portrait painters of the day. (See No. 113 for another likeness of
this sitter).
(2) Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–92)
Lady Henrietta Herbert, Countess of Powis (1758–1830), 1777
NT1181064
Lady Henrietta was the daughter of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl
of Powis. In 1784 she married Edward, 2nd Lord Clive, who
was later created Earl of Powis in 1804. It was through Lady
Henrietta that the Powis estates passed to the Clive family.
She travelled to India with her daughters in 1798 during her
husband’s tenure of the Governorship of Madras and stayed
there until 1801. During this time she toured the southern
regions of the country and formed a collection of Indian
curiosities which are now on display in the Clive Museum at
Powis. The hat and lace scarf she is shown wearing here do not
appear in the 1778 engraving after this work; these elements
appear to have been added at a later date.
5
6
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(3) George Romney (1734–1802)
The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), c.1783–1785
NT1181065
Charlotte Clive was the second daughter of
Robert, ‘Clive of India’. Her godmother was Queen
Charlotte. She travelled widely in Italy, where
portraits of her were produced by notable artists
including Angelica Kauffman, Charles Grignion
(No. 81) and Hugh Douglas Hamilton (No. 105).
She died unmarried. Sittings for this portrait are
recorded in 1783, and a payment of £42 is noted as
being ‘received of Miss Charlotte for her portrait
half-length’. A letter also survives which requests for
‘Miss Clive’s portrait to be sent to John Robinson,
esq [her brother-in-law], Denston Hall, Suffolk’.
(65) FranÇois De Troy (1645–1730)
Lady Mary Herbert, Viscountess Montagu
(1659–1744/45), late 17th century
NT1180944
Lady Mary Herbert was the eldest daughter of William, 1st Marquess of Powis. She
married three times: firstly to the Hon. Richard Molyneux, secondly to Francis Browne,
4th Viscount Montagu (d.1708), and finally to Sir George Maxwell (d.1720). In this portrait
she is attended by an Egyptian girl, who is shown bringing her a jewelled coronet. It is
thought that the painting was produced while Mary was in exile with her father, who
remained loyal to the deposed King James II after the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
(66) FranÇois De Troy (1645–1730)
Lady Lucy Herbert (1668–1744) as a Vestal Virgin, c.1692–1693
NT1180945
Lucy Herbert was the fourth daughter of William, 1st Marquess of Powis – a leading
Catholic nobleman whose portrait (No. 29) was also painted by De Troy. In around
1690 she left England for the Spanish Netherlands. In 1693 she was admitted to
the convent of the English Augustinian Canonesses at Bruges, and was elected
prioress of the community in 1709. She later became known as a devotional writer.
By depicting her as a vestal virgin in this portrait, De Troy encourages us to see her as
model of female virtue.
(85) British School
Richard Clive of Styche (d.1771), mid-18th century
NT1180959
Richard Clive was the father of Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’. He married Rebecca
Gaskell, daughter of Nathaniel Gaskell of Manchester (No. 86). He was squire of
Styche near Market Drayton, and also practised as a lawyer in London to supplement
his annual rent-roll of £500. Under the patronage of Henry Arthur, 1st Earl of Powis,
he was elected MP for Montgomeryshire in 1761.
The Pictures
(86) British School
A Girl, said to be Rebecca Gaskell, early 18th century
NT1180960
This portrait is thought to depict Rebecca Gaskell as a young girl. She later married
Richard Clive of Styche (No. 85) and was the mother of Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’.
She is shown here wearing an elegant dress, adorned with a shawl. This relative
formality is countered by the sprightly King Charles spaniel puppy she holds, which
reinforces a sense of playfulness befitting of her youth. The portrait was probably
painted by a provincial British artist, in imitation of the fashionable mode of female
portraiture being produced in the studios of leading London artists.
(6) French School
William Herbert, 3rd Marquess of Powis
(c.1698–1748), early 18th century
NT1181068
In this portrait, the young William Herbert is pictured
wearing a sumptuous array of silks and gilt-edged
fabrics, adorned with a gold motif of a lion’s head.
His outfit seems almost like a historical costume. In
particular, the details below his shoulders and around
his waist are reminiscent of the decorative strips of
leather known as ‘pteruges’ worn by Roman and Greek
soldiers. The artist is unknown, but the style suggests a
French hand. William was the son of the 2nd Marquess
of Powis and succeeded his father’s title in 1745. He died
unmarried in 1748, leaving the Powis estates to a distant
relative, Henry Arthur Herbert, Lord Herbert of Chirbury,
who was later made Earl of Powis (second creation).
(94) Solomon Joseph Solomon (1860–1927)
Percy Herbert, Viscount Clive (1892–1916), early 20th century
This posthumous portrait of Percy Herbert shows him wearing the dress uniform of
the Welsh Guards. He joined the regiment at the time of their formation, on 1 March
1915 – St David’s Day. He died of wounds received at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
This portrait, which was painted posthumously, seems a fitting tribute to his military
service in the Great War. On loan to the National Trust from a private collection.
(10) After Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599–1641)
Elizabeth Dormer, Marchioness of Worcester (born 1610 or after 1635), 18th century
NT1180903
Elizabeth Dormer was the daughter of Sir William Dormer. In 1628 she married Edward,
Lord Herbert of Raglan who subsequently became the 2nd Marquess of Worcester. She
had three children: Henry, 1st Duke of Beaufort (No. 28); Elizabeth, Lady Somerset (No.
8); and Anne, Lady Somerset. This painting, by an 18th-century copyist, is derived from
an original portrait by Van Dyck, which is today in a private collection. The composition,
which places the sitter before a tripartite backdrop of drapery, architecture and a
landscape view, is typical in Van Dyck’s portraits of aristocratic women.
7
8
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(84) British School
Lady Katherine Newport, Lady Herbert of Chirbury (1653–1716), mid-17th century
NT1180958
This portrait, by an unknown artist, is loosely
based on the style of Sir Peter Lely, portrait
painter to Charles II. It depicts Katherine Newport,
daughter of Francis, 1st Earl of Bradford. In 1681
she married Henry, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury.
She died in 1716 having had no children.
(11) British School
Lady Eleanor Percy, afterwards Lady Powis
(1582/3–1650), 1595
NT1180904
This portrait depicts Eleanor Percy at the age
of 13. She was the daughter of the 8th Earl of
Northumberland and wife of William, 1st Lord
Powis (No.12). She is shown wearing a cross,
indicating her allegiance to the ‘old faith’ of
Catholicism. Her image and dress is clearly
influenced by the high fashion of the Elizabethan
era. To this day, Eleanor’s book of hours and rosary,
which previously belonged to Mary Queen of
Scots, remain in the Powis collection.
(7) Kenneth Green (1905–86)
Christian Victor Charles Herbert, 6th Earl of Powis (1904–88), 1977
Christian Herbert was the second son of Edward Herbert and Beatrice, daughter of
Sir Hedworth Williamson. He became Earl of Powis in 1974 following the death of
his brother Edward. Christian was a keen amateur artist: two still-life paintings and a
landscape by him, dating from the 1930s, are today in the collection at Powis.
On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(12) British School
William Herbert, 1st Lord Powis (1574–1656), 1595
NT1180905
William Herbert was the son of Sir Edward Herbert and
Mary Stanley. His paternal grandparents were William
Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and Anne Parr, sister of
Queen Catherine Parr. On 2 April 1629 he was created
the 1st Lord Powis. Before 1600, he married Lady
Eleanor Percy, the teenage daughter of the 8th Earl of
Northumberland (No. 11). He held Powis Castle for King
Charles I during the Civil War, but it was captured in
1644 and he was imprisoned and deprived of his estates.
The Pictures
(13) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)
Lady Charlotte Herbert (died after 1751), later Lady Charlotte Morris (married 1723),
then Lady Charlotte Williams, c.1710–1720
NT1180906
Charlotte Herbert was the third daughter of William, 2nd Marquess
of Powis. Her first husband was Edward Morris of Pen-y-bont, who
she married in 1723. She later married Edward Williams of Yestyn
Colwyn. This portrait was painted by Michael Dahl, a Swedish artist
who lived and worked in England for most of his career.
(14) Ellis Roberts (1865–1930)
Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis (1865–1929), c.1900
Violet Lane-Fox was the youngest child of Sackville Lane-Fox, 12th
Baron Conyers, and his wife, Mary Curteis. In 1891 she married George
Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis. In 1911 she was entrusted with
the entire management of the deteriorating gardens at Powis Castle,
and over the next 18 years she effectively recreated them into the
internationally renowned form that they have today. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(15) Richard Von Marientreu (1902–91)
Ella Rathborne, Countess of Powis (1890–1987), c.1954
Ella Rathborne was the daughter of Colonel W.H. Rathborne of Scripplestown,
Country Dublin. She married Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (No. 16). The dress
she is wearing in this portrait was given to the National Trust in 1983. It is made from
Indian gold cloth and dates from the 18th century. It is thought to have been brought
to England by either the 1st or 2nd Lord Clive. On loan to the National Trust from the
Powis Estates Trustees.
(16) Richard Von Marientreu (1902–91)
Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (1889–1974), 1954
Edward Herbert was the great-great-grandson of Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. He
married Ella Rathborne (No. 15), daughter of Col W.H. Rathbone, succeeding his
cousin George, 4th Earl of Powis, in 1952. He is depicted here wearing the dress
uniform of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 60th Rifles. On loan to the National Trust
from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(17) Sir William Llewellyn (1858–1941)
George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862–1952), date unknown
George Herbert was the son of Lieutenant General Sir Percy Herbert KCB and
succeeded his uncle as 4th Earl of Powis in 1891. He married Violet Lane-Fox in 1890.
In 1902 he commissioned G.F. Bodley to undertake repairs and alterations to Powis
Castle. He bequeathed the castle and garden to the National Trust in 1952. In this
portrait he is wearing the uniform and insignia of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
9
10
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The Library
(91) Manner of Melchoir de Hondecoeter (1636–95)
Poultry outside a Hen-house, late 17th century
NT1180965
This lively scene of poultry outside a hen-house is rooted in the tradition of bird
painting popularised by the Dutch artist Melchior de Hondecoeter. The artist’s
works were favoured by wealthy magnates of the Netherlands and he also received
patronage from William III, Prince of Orange and later King of England. The popularity
of such pictures in British country houses can be connected to the increasing fashion
for rustic rural imagery towards the end of the 17th century.
(20) Johannes Antonius
Van Der Baren (1615–86)
A Seascape within a Garland of Fruit, 1647
NT1180908
This unusual seascape, seen through a stone
window adorned with fruit, was painted by Johannes
Antonius van der Baren. The artist is best known for
his role as painter to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of
Austria (1614–62), though he was also employed as
his chaplain. The Archduke’s collection is now owned
by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, where
many of his other works can be seen.
The Pictures
(21) Isaac Oliver (c.1565–1617)
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), early 17th century
NT1183954
Like his younger and more famous brother George, Edward Herbert was a
distinguished poet and writer. He is perhaps best known for his philosophical
treatise, De Veritate, which was first published in 1624. A kinsman of the Powis
Herberts, he lived at nearby Montgomery Castle. In this portrait he is depicted
wearing tournament gear, reclining beside a brook. By depicting the Baron
leaning with his head on his hand, the artist, Isaac Oliver, appears to reference
Albrecht Durer’s 1514 engraving, Melencolia I, which shows an allegorical figure
in a similar posture, suggesting a melancholic state. The inscription on his
shield, ‘MAGICA SYMPATHIAE’, is a further reference to Durer’s engraving
which includes the depiction of a ‘magic square’. His shield is also decorated
with the emblem of a burning heart, which is understood as an allusion to
‘Platonick Love’ – an emotional state that the Baron often described in his
poems. (For other likenesses of the sitter, see Nos. 26, 43 and 62). Commissioned
by the sitter and thence by descent; on loan to the National Trust from 1952;
purchased by the National Trust by private treaty, with the help of grants
from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, a fund set up by the
late Hon. Simon Sainsbury and a bequest from Winifred Hooper, 2016.
(22) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)
Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort (1684–1714), c.1702–1712
NT1180909
Henry Somerset was the grandson and heir of the 1st Duke of Beaufort (No.
28). In this portrait he is shown wearing his ducal robes with his coronet in his
hand. He enjoyed a close acquaintance with Queen Anne, who he entertained
at Badminton in 1702 – the year of her coronation. The Queen later appointed
him Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners and made him a Knight of the Garter
in 1712. He married three times: firstly to Mary Sackville in 1702, who died in
1705, and secondly to Rachel Noel in 1706, who died in 1709. He married his
third wife, Mary Osborne, in 1711, though he died just three years later.
(23) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)
Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), early 18th century
NT1180910
Mary Preston was the wife of William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis. She
is shown here wearing peeress’s robes and sitting beside a table upon which
a coronet is placed. Originally, this painting depicted Lady Rachel Noel, the
first wife of the 2nd Duke of Beaufort (No. 22). However, at some point, Lady
Noel’s face was cut out of the picture and replaced with a new piece of canvas
on which Dahl painted Mary Preston’s portrait. The reason for this re-use of
the painting is not entirely clear, although it may have been as a result of the
original sitter dying during childbirth in 1709, perhaps before her portrait was
finished. (For other portraits of Mary Preston, see No. 61 and No. 67).
11
12
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(87, 88, 89, 90) Manner of Pieter Snayers (1592–1667)
Four Battle Scenes with Horsemen, date unknown
National Trust Inventory Numbers 1180961, 1180962, 1180963, 1180964
These four battle scenes, which are dominated by skirmishes on horseback, are
painted in the style of the Flemish Baroque artist, Pieter Snayers. Though best known
for his images of historical conflicts, which typically demonstrate a close attention to
topographic accuracy, Snayers also painted portraits of aristocracy in Brussels and
collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens on several occasions.
(18) Attributed to Antonio Vasilacchi (L’Aliense) (1556–1629)
The Madonna and Child with Saint Louis of Toulouse and
Saint Catherine of Genoa, date unknown
This painting, previously known as Virgin and Child with a Young Bishop, was bought
by Clive of India in 1771. It has previously been attributed to Tintoretto, but is now
thought to be by ‘L’Aliense’, one of his followers. The figures either side of the
Madonna have been identified as St Louis of Toulouse (d.1297), and St Catherine of
Genoa (1447–1510). St Louis is principally remembered for renouncing the throne of
Naples to become a Franciscan friar. St Catherine is chronicled as a nurse and mystic;
her love of God and fellow men is denoted in this picture by a flaming heart in her
breast. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Pictures
The Oak Drawing Room
(26) British School
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648),
early 17th century
NT1180912
This portrait was probably painted shortly after Edward Herbert
was made a Knight of the Bath by King James I in 1603. He later
spoke with great pride of his robes of ‘crimson taffety … in which
habit I am painted in my study’. The painter is unknown, though
the formal construction of the portrait is reminiscent of the fulllength portraits by William Larkin from the same period. Larkin
was an English painter best known for his portrayals of members
of the court of James I, which capture in brilliant detail the opulent
layering of textiles, embroidery, lace, and jewellery characteristic of
fashion in the Jacobean era.
(27) Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723)
King Charles II (1630–85), after 1685
NT1180913
A copy of Godfrey Kneller’s last portrait of Charles II, this painting
is on display at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. The original work
is thought to have been started just before the king’s death, and
finished afterwards, in 1685. Kneller came to England in 1676, and
upon the death of Peter Lely in 1680 he was appointed Principal
Painter to the Crown by Charles II. He ran a highly efficient studio,
and with the support of his assistants he was able to produce
portraits at great speed, making numerous copies of his most
popular works.
(30) Thomas Gainsborough RA (1727–88)
Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), as a Boy, c.1763
NT1181069
This portrait of Edward Clive, the eldest son of Robert, ‘Clive
of India’, depicts him as a young boy, aged nine or ten. In 1784,
he married Lady Henrietta Herbert. In 1798 he was appointed
Governor of Madras. On his return to Britain in 1804, he received
the thanks of Parliament for his services during the 4th Mysore
War of 1799, and the 2nd Mahratta War of 1802–4. The painting is
thought to date from the early 1760s, when the artist was working
in Bath and producing portraits for a wide variety of new clients.
13
14
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(76) Studio of Gainsborough Dupont (1754–97)
King George III (1738–1820), after 1794
T1180952
This painting is probably a studio copy of Gainsborough Dupont’s portrait of George III
in the Royal Collection, which is thought to have been exhibited at the Royal Academy in
1794. According to the landscape painter and diarist, Joseph Farington, the king thought
that Dupont’s portrait of him was ‘the best likeness that had been painted’. The Powis
version was reputedly given by George III to Lord Sidmouth, who bequeathed it to
Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis in 1844. (See No. 24 for a pendant to this portrait).
(115) Follower of William Marlow (1740–1813)
View of the North Front of Powis Castle, date unknown
Adopting a viewpoint which focuses on the castle’s north front, this painting relates
closely to a number of watercolour views produced by William Marlow in the 1790s,
in which a similar perspective is favoured. The anonymous artist was possibly a
journeyman, and it is likely that he made use of Marlow’s earlier images to produce
this larger work in oil. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(24) Attributed to Gainsborough Dupont (1754–97)
Queen Charlotte (1744–1818), c.1794
This portrait of Queen Charlotte has always been associated with the full-length
portrait of George III at Powis (No. 76), and entered the collection at the same time,
as a bequest from Lord Sidmouth. Unlike the portrait of the king, however, which
is thought to be a studio copy, this work is believed to be by Gainsborough Dupont
himself. The pose is derived from Thomas Gainsborough’s 1781 portrait of Queen
Charlotte in the Royal Collection, of which there are many copies. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Pictures
(63) Pompeo Batoni (1708–87)
George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), 1776
NT1181071
George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, succeeded
his father in 1772 at the age of 17. Shortly after,
he embarked on a Grand Tour of Italy, arriving
in Rome in 1775. There, he met Pompeo Batoni,
a fashionable portrait painter who was greatly
in demand among aristocratic British tourists.
The occasion on which this portrait was painted
is documented in a letter sent by Father John
Thorpe, an English Jesuit in Rome, to the 8th
Lord Arundell of Wardour, in England. Dated 28
October 1776, the letter explains that ‘Pompeo
Batoni … is now finishing a plain portrait of Lord
Powis’. Such portraits by Batoni were transported
back to Britain by those who commissioned them,
to furnish the walls of large private residences
like Powis. So influential was the artist in Rome
that the painter Benjamin West, while visiting the
city, complained that the Italian artists ‘talked
of nothing, looked at nothing but the works of
Pompeo Batoni’.
(60) Attributed to Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568–1625)
Three Studies of an Owl on a Perch
This painting, which depicts an owl on a perch from three different angles, is thought
to be by the Flemish painter and draughtsman Jan Brueghel the elder, son of Pieter
Brueghel. He specialised in natural subjects, especially still life and flower paintings.
His virtuoso skill at depicting delicate textures earned him the nickname ‘Velvet’
Brueghel. Though the full provenance of this painting is not known, an inscription
on the back of its frame reads ‘shipped from Leghorn 1778’, suggesting that it
was purchased in Italy. It is also noted in an 18th century inventory of the Powis
residence at Berkeley Square, London,
which describes a ‘Study of Owls from
Leghorn’.On loan to the National Trust
from the Powis Estates Trustees.
15
16
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(32) Bernardo Bellotto (1721–80)
View of Verona from the Ponte Nuovo, c.1745–1747
NT1180916
A view of the river Adige,
painted by Bernardo Bellotto,
the pupil and nephew of
Canaletto, was probably
produced between 1745 and
1747 when the artist was living in
Verona. The view is taken from
the Ponte della Navi, towards
the Castel San Pietro in the
middle distance and the tower
of Sant’Anastasia on the left.
The picture was bought by Clive
of India in 1771 and briefly hung
in his London house at Berkeley
Square, before being transferred
to Powis Castle, where it is listed
in 1798. Its pendant, looking in
the opposite direction towards
the south, is now on loan to the
National Gallery of Scotland.
The Pictures
(33) Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)
Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770
NT1180917
Robert Clive was a Governor of Bengal and is today credited as the founder of British
rule in India. It is as a result of this role that he earned the popular name ‘Clive of
India’. In 1764 he was named a Knight of the Bath, and he is shown wearing the
ribbon of this honour in this portrait. Several studio versions of this portrait exist
(for example, No. 4) and it was widely disseminated in engraved form. The scene
of military conflict in the background is thought to represent the Battle of Plassey
(1757), in which Clive played a decisive commanding role.
(29) FranÇois de Troy (1645–1730)
William Herbert, 3rd Baron and 1st Earl/
Marquess of Powis (1626–96), c.1692
NT1180915
William Herbert was the son of Percy, 2nd Lord Powis. In
1654 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Somerset,
2nd Marquess of Worcester. In 1667 he succeeded his
father and in 1674 became 1st Earl of Powis. In 1679 he was
falsely accused in the ‘Popish Plot’ of conspiring to kill King
Charles II, and as a result spent six years in the Tower of
London awaiting trial. He was freed in 1684 and after the
accession of James II became a loyal member of the Court.
He remained faithful to the deposed king after the Glorious
Revolution of 1688 and in 1692 was made a Knight of the
Garter at the exiled Jacobite Court in St Germain. In this
portrait he is depicted wearing the robes and regalia of this
honour, the highest order of chivalry.
(31) Attributed to Sebastiano
Bombelli (1635–1719)
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine (1634–1705)
and his Secretary, 1664
NT1181070
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine, was the grandson
of the 1st Lord Powis. He was married to Barbara Villiers,
Duchess of Cleveland, who was famously a mistress of
Charles II and mothered five of the king’s children. After
separating from his wife in 1662, Roger travelled in France
and Italy. By 1664 he was in the Levant, serving as an
officer in the fleet of the Venetian Republic, commanded
by Admiral Andrea Cornaro. It was at this time that
his portrait was painted (an inscription on the canvas
reads ‘An: Do. 1664 Venetia’). It is thought to have been
produced by Venice’s leading portrait painter at the time,
Sebastiano Bombelli.
17
18
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(28) Attributed to John Riley (1646–91)
Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, 3rd Marquess of Worcester (1629–1700), c.1672
NT1180914
Henry Somerset was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various
times between 1654 and 1667. He was installed as a Knight of the Garter on 29 May
1672, and is shown in this portrait wearing the robes of this order. The Dukedom of
Beaufort was bestowed upon him ten years later by King Charles II, in 1682. His sister,
Elizabeth, married William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis (see No. 29). In his official
role as Lord President of Wales, Henry visited Powis Castle on a state visit in 1684.
The Gateway
(35) Anglo-Dutch School
Called Elizabeth Spencer, Lady Craven (1618–72), mid-17th century
NT1180919
This portrait is thought to depict Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of the 2nd Lord Spencer.
It is presumably at Powis because the sitter’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth Craven, was the
wife of Percy, 2nd Baron Powis. Its style is in the manner of Gerard van Honthorst,
who was invited to England by Charles I in 1628 and subsequently painted portraits of
members of the Royal family and other figures associated with the English court (No.
49 is also thought to be a portrait of Elizabeth Spencer, perhaps as a younger lady).
(34) After Gerard van Honthorst (1590–1656)
William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1606–97), 1647
NT1180918
William was the eldest son of Sir William Craven, a city magnate, and Elizabeth
Whitmore, the daughter of a London Alderman. He inherited his father’s vast fortune
at the age of around ten. After spending time at Trinity College, Oxford, he took up
soldiering and in 1632 sailed for Germany as one of the leaders of the English force
enlisted to serve under Gustavus Adolphus in the hope of restoring King Charles I’s
sister, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia. An identical version of this portrait is in the
National Portrait Gallery London; both derive from the three-quarter-length portrait
of William by Gerard van Honthorst, at Ashdown House, Berkshire.
(36) British School
Jane Shore (d.1527), early 18th century
NT1180920
Jane Shore was one of the many mistresses of King Edward IV of England. Through
her liaisons with the king and several other prominent courtiers she became entangled
in the political intrigues that led to the usurpation of Richard III and the revival of civil
war in the 1480s. As Thomas More noted in his History of King Richard III (c.1513): ‘...
she delighted not men so much in her beauty as in her pleasant behaviour. For a proper
wit had she, and could both read well and write, merry in company, ready and quick of
answer, neither mute nor full of babble, sometimes taunting without displeasure, and
not without play.’ Jane later became a recognised penitent, and in the early eighteenth
century, the image of her in this guise was a popular subject. There are similar versions
of this painting, from the same period, at Penrhyn Castle and Chirk Castle.
The Pictures
(37) British School
A Gentleman of the Clive Family aged 30, date unknown
NT1180921
Although this painting has the appearance of a 16th-century portrait, it is thought to
be a later, probably 18th-century creation. The identity of the sitter is unknown, but an
inscription records his age as 30, and the arms and motto of the Clive family are also
depicted. It may have been conceived as a copy of an earlier, now lost work; alternatively,
it might have simply been painted in an outmoded, historical style, to cultivate a notion
of ancestry. Incongruously, it is housed in an 18th-century Venetian mirror frame.
(38) British School
Elizabeth Craven, Lady Powis (1600–62), early 17th century
NT1180922
In this portrait, Elizabeth Craven is shown as a young lady, wearing a
richly embellished dress trimmed with fine lace-work. The garment
is typical of the late Elizabethan style of embroidery which mixed
together all manner of motifs taken from the natural world. A variety
of flowers are interspersed with lively depictions of butterflies and
birds. Printed emblem books and illustrated natural histories often
provided useful sources for these kinds of textile designs.
(39) British School
Sir Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (c.1598–1667),
early 17th century
NT1180923
Percy Herbert was the son of William, 1st Lord Powis. In 1622 he
married Elizabeth (No. 38), daughter of Sir William Craven, a wealthy
alderman of the City of London. During the 1620s he sat in the
Commons as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury, though later
was convicted of treason for his Catholic sympathies. The loss of his
estates and freedom inspired him to write a number of philosophical
and moralistic essays, for which he is perhaps best known today.
(40) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)
Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Egerton Herbert (1822–76), c.1857
NT1180924
Percy Herbert was the second son of Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. He was
a soldier of great distinction and served with the 43rd Light Infantry in
the Kaffir War between 1851 and 1853. As an Assistant Quartermaster
General he landed in the Crimea in 1854 and was subsequently
promoted to Quartermaster General. In 1859 he served as Colonel
of the 82nd Foot in India. He was later made Deputy Quartermaster
General of the Horse Guards in 1860, and in 1867 was appointed
Treasurer of the Household. He became Major General in 1868, KCB
in 1869, and Lieutentant General in 1875. The artist, Francis Grant, was
the most sought after society portrait painter of his day and the only
Scottish president of the Royal Academy in London. His depiction of
Percy Egerton is typical in its combination of formality and humility.
19
20
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The Long Gallery
(56) Gilbert Soest (c.1605–1681)
Henry Herbert, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1640–91), c.1660–1680
NT1180938
Henry Herbert, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury, was a participant in the Royalist
rebellion of 1659, led by the Presbyterian George Booth. Later, in 1687, he served
under the Duke of Monmouth and was a promoter of the Glorious Revolution. For
his efforts, he was made Cofferer of the Household to William and Mary. His portrait,
painted by the Dutch artist Gilbert Soest, depicts him in armour with a battle scene
in the distance, alluding to his involvement in military affairs.
(43) British School
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), date unknown
NT1180927
This portrait of Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury,
is perhaps unfinished. Unusually, it depicts his head emerging
from clouds. It may have been painted posthumously to serve
as a memorial. It is one of three portraits of the sitter at
Powis Castle.
(54) Gilbert Soest (c.1605–1681)
Edward Herbert, 3rd Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1633–78),
c.1660–1680
NT1180936
This depiction of Edward Herbert is typical of Gilbert Soest’s
portraits of military figures during the Restoration period.
Placed within a dark oval frame, he is shown dressed in
armour and wearing a red and white cravat. Along with his
younger brother Henry (No. 56), Edward joined the Royalist
uprising under George Booth, when he declared for Charles
II in Cheshire in 1659, and suffered a short imprisonment.
After the Restoration he was made Custos Rotulorum (keeper
of the county’s records) of Montgomeryshire (1660), and
Denbighshire (1666).
(44) Cornelius Johnson (1593–1661)
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1606–55), 1635
NT1180928
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury, was the eldest son of Edward, 1st
Baron Herbert of Chirbury. He was a distinguished loyalist and raised 12,000 troops
for Charles I. Cornelius Johnson, who painted this work, was one of the foremost
portrait painters in England until Van Dyck arrived in 1632. Although his family were
German-Flemish refugees, Johnson himself was born in London. His style of painting
was well-suited to the intimate bust-length portrait format, which he used to capture
the reserve of the English gentry and minor aristocracy.
The Pictures
(45) British School
Sir Henry Herbert (1594–1673), 1639
NT1180929
Sir Henry Herbert was the brother of Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of
Chirbury. He lived at Ribblesford, Worcestershire. He was originally engaged in
diplomatic work, but in 1623 became Master of the Revels. He performed this
role for both Charles I and Charles II, and was responsible for choosing the plays
and entertainments staged at court. He was also a shareholder in several theatres,
including the Phoenix or Cockpit Theatre, and the Salisbury Court Theatre.
(50) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)
Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818–91), c.1845–1848
NT1180934
Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis, was educated at Eton College and St John’s
College, Cambridge, where he was president of the University Pitt Club. He became
MP for Shropshire North in 1843, and held the seat for five years until 1848 when he
succeeded his father in the earldom and entered the House of Lords. In 1875, at the
age of 67, he was offered the Viceroyalty of India by then Prime Minister, Benjamin
Disraeli. However, he declined, fearing his health ‘would not be suited to the rigours
of the tropical climate’.
(46) British School
Henry Herbert of Colebrook (1617–56), 1641
NT1180930
The eldest son of Sir William Herbert of Colebrook in Monmouthshire, Henry was a
distant relation of the Powis and Chirbury branches of the Herbert family. In contrast
to his kinsmen, his sympathies were with Parliament during the Civil War. As a
‘Roundhead’ Colonel, he captured Cardiff and Swansea in 1645.
(47) Attributed to Thomas Hudson (1701–79)
Henry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis,
2nd Creation (1703–72), c.1740
NT1180931
Henry Arthur Herbert was the son of Francis Herbert,
of Oakly Park near Ludlow, Shropshire; his mother,
Dorothy, was the daughter of John Oldbury, a merchant
of London. In 1751, at the age of 48, he married the
15-year-old Barbara Herbert, daughter and heiress of
Lord Edward Herbert. Oakly Park was his main country
home until 1771, when he sold it to Robert Clive, ‘Clive
of India’, and moved into Powis Castle. He enjoyed a
long political career, acting at various times as LordLieutenant of Shropshire and Montgomeryshire,
Comptroller of the Household, and Treasurer of the
Household. (For a group portrait of Henry Herbert
with his wife and children see No. 74).
21
22
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(48) British School
Called Barbara Herbert, Countess of Powis (1735–86), c.1750
NT1180932
This portrait is thought to depict Barbara Herbert, Countess of Powis. It is framed as
a pendant to the portrait her husband, Henry Herbert (No. 47), but appears to be in a
different artist’s hand. It was perhaps produced to accompany his portrait at the time
of the couple’s marriage.
(57) British School
Sir William Herbert of St Julians (c.1553–1593), 16th century
NT1180939
William Herbert was born about 1553 at St Julians, Monmouthshire. His father,
William, was a landowner in Monmouthshire; his mother, Jane, was the daughter of
Edward Griffith of Penrhyn Castle, Caernarvonshire. Between around 1568 and 1573
he attended Oxford, and in 1577 entered political life as sheriff of Glamorgan. In 1578
he was knighted by Elizabeth I at Richmond Palace. In 1586 he undertook, with a
consortium, to create a network of plantations in Ireland. In 1591 he published a treatise
which was largely shaped by this experience, titled Croftus, sive, De Hibernia liber. In it, he
advocated the use of colonisation schemes to ‘civilize’ primitive peoples.
(62) British School
A Gentleman, possibly Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury
(1582–1648), early 17th century
T1180942
This portrait, painted in oil on panel, is believed to depict Edward Herbert, 1st Baron
Herbert of Chirbury. The finely embroidered doublet and ruff identifies the sitter as
distinguished gentlemen, and is stylistically in keeping with the fashions of the early
17th century.
(49) Attributed to John Weesop (Fl. 1641–49)
Called Elizabeth Spencer, Lady Craven (1618–72), early to mid-17th century
NT1180933
This portrait is thought to depict Elizabeth Spencer, before to her marriage to John
Craven, 1st Baron Craven of Ryton, in 1643. However, it bears little resemblance to
another portrait of the same sitter (No. 35), and may represent a case of mistaken
identity. It is attributed to John Weesop, who came to England in 1641 – the year
that the leading court painter in England, Anthony Van Dyck, died. So similar was
Weesop’s style to Van Dyck’s that William Sykes, a 17th-century artist and picture
dealer, later claimed that many pictures painted by Weesop were mistaken for those
produced by his predecessor.
The Pictures
(9) Abraham van Blyenberch (fl. 1617–22)
William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (1580–1630), 1617
NT1180902
This three-quarter-length portrait of William Herbert depicts him in the role of Lord
Chamberlain – the senior official of the Royal Household. The staff of office he holds,
and the key attached to his waist, allude to his status. He held this position from 1615
to 1625, under King James I. During this time, in 1724, the newly founded Pembroke
College, Oxford, was named after him. This painting, by Abraham van Blyenberch, is
the only known signed and dated example of the artist’s work in Britain.
23
24
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The Walcot Bedroom
(--) Cornelis Pietersz. de Mooy (d. 1693)
Vessels in an Estuary off Amsterdam, c.1670
NT1180969
This estuary scene, by Cornelis Pietersz. de Mooy, shows a number of different
vessels in shallow waters near Amsterdam. In the distance, windmills and church
spires can be seen on the horizon. In the left foreground, partly obscured by a sailing
boat, a much larger vessel is at anchor; she displays an array of cannons and has an
ornately decorated stern. The artist specialised in monochrome sea pieces, in which
he applied black pigment with a pen and used a brush to add washes in varying tones
of grey. These images so closely resemble the work of Willem van de Velde the Elder –
the leading Dutch marine artist of the day – that it is possible de Mooy was his pupil.
The present work, which is rendered in full colour, marks a departure from this style.
The Pictures
(--) Jakob Philipp Hackert (1737–1807)
Landscape with a Waterfall and a Cowherd in the Foreground, 1755
NT1180968
Jakob Philipp Hackert was born in Brandenburg, and in his youth trained as an artist
with his father Philipp – a portraitist and painter of animals. In 1758 he went to study
at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, and subsequently travelled to Paris in 1765.
In 1768 he went to Italy, where he spent the rest of his life, gaining a reputation as a
talented landscape painter. This early work, which was produced when he was only
18, depicts an idealised vision of pastoral life. Compared to most of his later works,
it is painted on a comparatively modest scale.
25
26
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(--) Anonymous, and James Watson (1740–90)
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke (1734–94), Lady Elizabeth Spencer,
Countess of Pembroke (d.1831) and their only Son George Augustus Herbert,
later 11th Earl of Pembroke (1759–1827), after 1773
NT1180970
This small group portrait of Henry Herbert with his wife and son appears to be painted
over a mezzotint engraving, made by James Watson. Upon close inspection, the ridged
lines of the laid paper on which the mezzotint was printed can be seen. Intriguingly,
Reynolds is not known to have painted the family in a single image as they appear
here, though he did produce separate canvases of them: one of Henry, and another
of Elizabeth with George. These two paintings were subsequently engraved by John
Dixon, in 1669 and 1771. Watson’s 1771 mezzotint inventively combines those produced
by Dixon, effectively pasting them together as a composite, and giving the impression
of a coherent group portrait. The present work was presumably painted by an amateur
artist, using Watson’s print and simply ‘colouring in’ the image.
The Gallery Bedroom
(59) After Guercino (1591–1666)
Aurora quitting Tithonus in her Chariot, 18th century
NT1180971
This painting is a copy, in reverse, of Guercino’s 1621 fresco in the Casino di Villa
Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome, Italy. It was probably copied from an engraving. It
recalls the story of Aurora, goddess of dawn, as told in Homer’s epic Greek poem, The
Iliad. Aurora, who takes centre stage riding a horse-drawn chariot, is depicted leaving
her aged husband, Tithonus. She holds a torch aloft, rolling back the clouds and turning
night into day. In front of her are three ‘Horae’ – goddesses of the seasons.
(--) French School
Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763–1814) tuning her Harp, early 19th century
NT1180786
Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoleon I, and thus the first
Empress of France. She was a highly accomplished musician and had a large music
room at the Château de Malmaison. In this small watercolour on ivory she is depicted
with her favourite instrument, the harp. Her chief instrument maker was George
Cousineau, one of the leading harp makers of his day. Cousineau’s harps were lavishly
carved and painted, and would have been thought highly suitable for the salons of
Paris in the decades leading up to the French Revolution in 1789.
The Pictures
The Duke’s Room
(--) John Russell (1744–1807)
George Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), c.1761
This pastel portrait by John Russell depicts the future Earl of Powis, George Herbert,
as a young boy (he succeeded his father in the earldom in 1772). The portrait is
recorded as ‘Lord Ludlow, aged 6’, which helps to date the work to c.1761. The title
‘Lord Ludlow’ refers to his later appointment as a judicial officer of the Shropshire
town in 1776. (See No. 63 for a portrait of this sitter as a young man, aged 21).
On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(--) John Russell (1744–1807)
Lady Henrietta Herbert, later Countess of Powis (1758–1830), c.1761
This portrait depicts Henrietta Herbert, the younger sister of George Herbert, as a
toddler, aged 3. The artist, John Russell, was educated at Guildford Grammar School
and won premiums from the Society of Artists for drawings in 1759 and 1760. He
was apprenticed to Francis Cotes and set up his own practice in 1767. This portrait,
together with its pendant, represents one of Russell’s earliest known commissions,
and was presumably produced for the sitter’s father, Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis.
(For a depiction of this sitter as a young lady, aged 19, see No. 2). On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(--) William Hoare (1707–92)
George Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), c.1770
This portrait shows George Herbert as an adolescent. His confident gaze towards
the viewer prefigures the self-assuredness captured by Pompeo Batoni, who painted
his portrait just a few years later, after he had succeeded to the Earldom. The artist,
William Hoare, spent much of his career in Bath, where he settled in 1739, and where
he remained the city’s most fashionable portraitist until the arrival of Gainsborough
in 1759. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1769 and exhibited there between 1770
and 1779. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(--) William Hoare (1707–92)
Richard Herbert (1704–54), mid-18th century
Richard Herbert was the younger brother of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, and
uncle of George and Henrietta Herbert. In 1745 he entered the army as lieutenant
colonel. In 1752, his brother, Henry, applied on his behalf to the Prime Minister,
Henry Pelham, for the post of Clerk Comptroller of the King’s Household. Pelham
replied, explaining that ‘I have a true regard for him ... and a sincere affection for your
Lordship’, though an appointment never materialised. On loan to the National Trust
from the Powis Estates Trustees.
27
28
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(--) William Hoare(1707–92)
Lady Henrietta Herbert, later Countess of Powis (1758–1830), c.1770
William Hoare’s portrait of Lady Henrietta Herbert was produced as a pendant to his likeness of her
brother, George. She is depicted holding a garland of flowers and wearing a hat decorated with a
ribbon and blooms. Later in life, she moved to India with her husband Edward Clive, who was made
Governor of Madras in 1798. There, she became a keen amateur botanist, where she created a fine
garden and kept a record of the plants in the area of Mysore and the Carnatic region. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Lower Tower Bedroom
(--) John Singer Sargent (1856–1925)
Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis and Baroness Darcy de Knayth (1865–1929), 1912
NT2900018
This bust-length portrait of Violent Lane-Fox was drawn in charcoal by John Singer Sargent in
1912, during the latter stages of his career. By this time, Sargent was living in London having gained
international acclaim as a portraitist. Violet and her husband George, 4th Earl of Powis, owned a house
at 45 Berkeley Square, and it is here that the portrait was hung. In 1937, shortly before the house was
sold, it was listed in the drawing room. Following the sale of the house, it was removed to Powis Castle
where it has been on display ever since. (See No. 14 for another likeness of this sitter).
three portraits, from top to bottom:
(--) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
A Lady, called ‘Miss Strachey’, c.1780–1790
The identity of this lady has long been a mystery, though it is believed that she may be one of Sir Henry
Strachey’s two daughters. Strachey was appointed private secretary to Lord Clive during the 1760s,
and the men became close friends. He benefited from Clive’s financial gains in India and, on his return
to Britain in July 1767, he benefited from his political patronage as well. He later married Jane Latham, a
cousin of Lady Clive, on 23 May 1770. They had three sons, and two daughters. On loan to the National
Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton
(1734–1806)
Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany (1753–89), after 1786
This portrait is a copy of Hugh Douglas Hamilton’s original likeness of Charlotte Stuart, Duchess
of Albany (Scottish National Portrait Gallery). Charlotte was the illegitimate child of Prince Charles
Edward Stuart – ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ – and his mistress, Clementine Walkinshaw. She was the only
one of his children to survive infancy. Her baptism into the Catholic faith marked the beginning of a
long and bitter dispute, as her father had converted to Protestantism in London. As a result, Charlotte
spent most of her life in French convents, estranged from a father who refused to make any provision
for her or her mother. However, she was finally reconciled with him in 1784, when he legitimised her
and created her Duchess of Albany in the Jacobite Peerage. She subsequently became her father’s carer
and companion in the last years of his life, before dying less than two years after him. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Pictures
Above
John Singer Sargent (1856–1925)
Violet Lane-Fox, Countess of Powis and Baroness
Darcy de Knayth (1865–1929), 1912
29
30
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846),
after Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
James Byres of Tonley (1734–1817), c.1790s
This portrait of James Byres is based on a pastel by Hugh Douglas Hamilton
(Aberdeen Art Gallery). The sitter was a Scottish architect, antiquary and dealer
in old-master paintings. He was from a family of Scottish Jacobite sympathisers,
and was taken to the Continent by his parents when they fled Scotland following
the failed Rising of 1745. By 1758, he was studying painting in Rome, and by 1768
had been elected to the Roman artists’ guild, the Accademia di San Luca, not as a
painter but as an architect. From the early 1760s he was one of the leading figures
in the aesthetic world of Rome as experienced by the ‘grand tourist’. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Blue Drawing Room
(67) Michael Dahl (1659–1743)
Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1700
NT1180946
This portrait seems to be very closely related to Michael Dahl’s other likeness of Mary
Preston at Powis Castle (No. 23), and may be the product of the same sitting. This
modest, highly conventionalised oval format, was used extensively by Dahl during
the early 18th century, particularly for aristocratic female subjects.
(58) British School
An Unknown Gentleman, possibly Francis Browne, 4th Viscount Montagu
(1638–1708), c.1670
NT1180940
The identity of this gentleman is uncertain. However, the assumed date, the sitter’s
robes, and the Viscount’s coronet on the table, have led to his identification as
Francis Browne, 4th Viscount Montagu. Browne was the second husband of Lady
Mary Herbert (No. 65) and died without issue. There are no other known portraits of
him in existence, which makes his identification here all the more tentative.
ten pastel portraits, clockwise, from top left:
(102) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), c.1788
NT1180503
This portrait of Edward Clive was probably executed in Rome in 1788. It was
produced by the Irish artist Hugh Douglas Hamilton. After training in Dublin and
subsequently working in London, Hamilton travelled to Italy in 1779. He lived in Rome
for 12 years, undertaking commissions for pastel portraits from numerous British
and Irish grand tourists. By the time that this portrait was produced, he was widely
regarded as one of the finest contemporary portraitists working in the medium.
The Pictures
(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
An Unknown Lady called Miss Probert, c.1790s
The identity of this sitter is unclear, but it is thought to depict ‘Miss Probert’ – a
daughter of John Probert, Chief Agent of the Powis Estates. It was produced by Anna
Tonelli, a pupil of Hugh Douglas Hamilton in Rome. It was here that Tonelli first came
to the attention of Edward Clive. She was later employed in England to teach drawing
to his children, and during this time she exhibited works at the Royal Academy in
1794 and 1797. She then accompanied the family to India between 1798 and 1801,
where she joined Henrietta and her children on their travels around the country.
On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(103) Hugh Douglas Hamilton
(1734–1806)
Lady Henrietta Herbert, Countess of Powis
(1758–1830), 1788
NT1180770
This portrait of Henrietta Herbert, Countess of
Powis, is part of the series commissioned by her
husband, Edward Clive, while in Rome in 1788. In
her diary, she remarks that during this trip she
‘did not go anywhere but to sit for my picture at
Hamilton’s’.
(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
Elizabeth Rolton, Mrs Clive, c.1790s
Elizabeth Rolton was the daughter of John Rolton
of Duffield, Derbyshire. In 1790 she married
her second cousin William Clive, the brother of
Robert Clive, Clive of India. It is thought that this
portrait was produced around that time. It seems
likely that Tonelli carried out the commission
once she had returned to England, where she
was employed by Edward Clive. On loan to the
National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(113) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
Rebecca Clive, Mrs Robinson (1760–95), 1797
NT1180505
Like many of Anna Tonelli’s pastels at Powis, this portrait of Rebecca Clive dates from
her time with the family in England. An inscription on the reverse reads: ‘Anna Tonelli
copied at Walcot 1797’. Walcot Hall was purchased by Clive of India in 1764 and the
estate remained in the family for nearly 200 years. Tonelli evidently spent some time
there, producing portraits to add to the series begun by Hugh Douglas Hamilton.
31
32
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(--) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton
(1734–1806)
The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), c.1790s
This portrait of Charlotte Clive is a copy of the one produced by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, which
hangs nearby (No. 105). It was probably commissioned to hang in one of the family’s other homes –
perhaps in London at 45 Berkeley Square, or at Walcot Hall. On loan to the National Trust from
the Powis Estates Trustees.
(111) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
William Clive (1745–1825), c.1790s
This portrait of William Clive hangs directly below the portrait of his wife, Elizabeth. William was the
younger brother of Clive of India, and like him, pursued a political career. He was active in parliament
throughout the 1780s and supported the Fox-North Coalition’s East India Bill in 1783. The bill
sought to nationalise the East India Company, thus providing the government with a new source of
appointments so they could reward and maintain support. Though it was introduced and passed in the
Commons, the King remained deeply opposed. He informed the House of Lords that he would regard
any peer who voted for the bill as his enemy. The bill was defeated on 17 December 1783 and the King
immediately dismissed the coalition. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(105) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), 1788
NT1180769
Probably commissioned during her visit to Rome in 1788, this portrait depicts Charlotte with a
flamboyantly coiffured and powdered hairdo, which was the height of aristocratic fashion at this time.
The style was perhaps most famously adopted by the celebrated beauty and socialite, Georgiana
Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, whose portrait was painted on numerous occasions by leading
British artists such as Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. The circulation of these images in
print played a large part in popularising the fashion throughout the country.
(107) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846), after Hugh Douglas Hamilton
(1734–1806)
Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis III (1754–1839), 1788
This portrait of Edward Clive is a copy of the one produced by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, which hangs
nearby (No. 102). It is one of a number of duplicates produced by Anna Tonelli as counterparts to
Hamilton’s original series. On loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
(104) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
Colonel, The Hon. Robert Clive (1769–1833), 1788
NT1180771
Robert, younger brother of Edward, was an English peer and later saw active service in Lord Moira’s camp,
India. This animated portrait, probably executed in Rome, conveys Hugh Douglas Hamilton’s mastery of
pastel drawing, which he used to great effect to convey the softness of flesh and human hair.
The Pictures
four pastel portraits, clockwise, from top left:
(108) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
The Hon. Robert Henry Clive (1798–1854), 1794
NT1180773
(107) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
Edward (Clive) Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Powis III (1785–1848), 1794
NT1180774
(109) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
Lady Charlotte Florentia Clive, later Duchess of Northumberland (1787–1866), c.1797
NT1180775
(110) Anna Tonelli (c.1763–1846)
Lady Henrietta Antonia Clive, later Lady Williams-Wynn (1786–1835), 1797
NT1180504
These four portraits by Anna Tonelli depict the children of Edward Clive.
The artist knew the children intimately, and was employed as their
governess in London and India between 1794 and 1802. Her sensitively
handled likenesses of them seem to reflect this relationship.
33
34
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
Above
Attributed to Charles d’Agar (1699–1723)
Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1695
The Pictures
(61) Attributed to Charles d’Agar (1699–1723)
Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis (d.1724), c.1695
NT1180941
This full length portrait of Mary Preston, Marchioness of Powis, is thought to have
been painted on the occasion of her marriage to William, 2nd Marquess of Powis,
in 1695. She is depicted in a formal garden setting decorated with classical features
such as a large red terracotta urn and a stone balustrade. The urn appears to contain
an orange tree – a luxury available only to privileged spheres of society at this time.
The painting is attributed to Charles d’Agar, who settled in London in 1691 where he
established a successful portrait practice. By the early 18th century he was clearly
enjoying some success, and was charging £7 for a head and shoulders and £12 for a
three-quarter-length portrait. It is not known how much he charged for a full-length
such as this, though it would have been a fairly considerable fee.
(8) John Michael Wright (1617–94)
Lady Elizabeth Somerset, Countess (later Marchioness) of Powis (c.1633–91), c.1674
NT1180901
Elizabeth Somerset was the younger daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Worcester, and
in 1674 married William, 1st Marquess of Powis. As with many of the female portraits
in the Powis collection, this picture was probably painted around the time of her
wedding. The coronet on the table beside her alludes to her newly acquired status as
a countess. The artist, John Michael Wright, was born in London in 1617, though fled
to the Continent during the Civil War years. After working in Rome, and subsequently
the Netherlands, he returned to London in 1656. Following the Restoration in 1660
he painted various members of the royal family and in 1673 was appointed ‘Picture
Drawer’ to Charles II. (See No. 80 for another portrait of this sitter).
(68) Andrea del Brescianino (fl. 1506–25)
The Madonna and Child with Putti
NT1181072
This depiction of the Madonna and Christ Child
is thought to have been painted by the Sienese
artist Andrea del Brescianino. Together with his
brother Raffaello, he painted various altarpieces in
Tuscany; consequently, their work cannot clearly
be separated. In addition to altarpieces they
painted mythological figures and small devotional
works. Andrea’s most substantial surviving work
is the altarpiece depicting the Coronation of the
Virgin in the church of SS Pietro e Paolo in Siena.
The Powis painting is thought to have been
acquired by Clive of India or his son during the
18th century.
35
36
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(64) After William Larkin (c.1585–1619)
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury (1582–1648), c.1800
NT1180943
This portrait, which is thought to date from around 1800, is an altered copy of
William Larkin’s early 17th-century painting at Charlecote Park. The large five-pointed
stars on his robe are motifs from the arms of the Earldom of Montgomery.
(82) John Michael Wright (1617–94)
Lord Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk, later Lord Howard of Castle Rising (1628–84), c.1669
NT1180956
Henry Howard was the grandson of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel – one of the
foremost collectors and patrons of the arts in Britain prior to the outbreak of the Civil
War in 1642. As was the case with many Catholic families, the war forced the Howards
into exile on the Continent. During this time, Henry resided in the Low Countries,
and later in Italy, before returning to England following the Restoration of the Stuart
monarchy in 1660. On his return, he inherited the collection of his grandfather,
who had died in 1646. He added to this collection with many new works, and in
particular seems to have been greatly interested in his own image. He commissioned
portraits of himself from many of the leading painters of the day, including Adrian
Hanneman, Sir Peter Lely, Gilbert Soest, and John Michael Wright (who painted
this work). His extravagant attire, which appears distinctly eastern in style, perhaps
relates to his 1664–5 embassy to the Turkish Emperor in Constantinople.
(106) Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1734–1806)
John Probert (c.1732–1818), 1788
NT1180772
John Probert started humbly, as a shoe cleaner in the family of Sir Watkin Williams
Wynn, before moving to Powis Castle as a stable assistant. He became a surveyor, Land
Agent to the Earl of Powis, and later Chief Agent of the Powis Castle Estates. His rise
from modest beginnings to a position of esteem is demonstrated by his gentlemanly
dress, which echoes the attire of Clive family members in other portraits by Hamilton.
(83) John Michael Wright (1617–94)
Lady Anne Somerset, Lady Howard (1631–62), c.1662
NT1180957
The identity of this sitter in this portrait has been the subject of
some discussion, though the theme of ‘death’ is certain. The cypress
trees in the background were often used to symbolise death and
the afterlife; the wreath held by the sitter contains flowers that are
visibly dying; and the large stone edifice she leans on appears to
be a tomb. One theory is that this is a portrait of Lady Elizabeth
Somerset, mourning the loss of her sister Anne, who died in 1662.
There is a clear resemblance with John Michael Wright’s later portrait
of Elizabeth at Powis (No. 8). However, there is an even stronger
similarity with a portrait of Anne, also by Wright, at Arundel Castle.
This suggests, perhaps, that this is in fact a posthumous portrait of
Lady Anne Howard, painted as a memorial.
37
The Exit Passage
(--) Richard Whitford (fl.1854–87)
These seven paintings of prize bulls illustrate the immense pride of Edward Herbert,
3rd Earl of Powis (1818–91) in the farming achievements at Powis in the 19th century.
The animals were bred at the property’s home farm in the 1870s. The prizes won by
the individual bulls are recorded on the frames. The artist, Richard Whitford, was
a renowned painter of livestock. Queen Victoria was among a number of notable
collectors who owned his work.
A Prize Bull in a Landscape, 1878
NT2900006
In 1877 and 1878 this bull won 1st prize at the Smithfield Club, London.
A Prize Bull in a Landscape, c.1876
NT2900005
In 1876 this bull won 1st prize at the Bath & West of England Show, Hereford; 1st prize
at the West Midland Show, Owestry; 1st prize at the Smithfield Club, London; and 1st
prize at Bingley Hall, Birmingham.
A Prize Bull in a Landscape, c.1876
NT2900003
In 1876 this bull won 1st prize at the Bath & West of England Show, Hereford; 1st prize
at the West Midland Show, Owestry; 2nd prize at the Smithfield Club, London; and
2nd prize at Bingley Hall, Birmingham.
A Prize Bull in a Barn, 1875
NT2900008
In 1874 this bull won 2nd prize at the
Smithfield Club, London.
A Prize Bull in a Wooded River Landscape, c.1878
NT2900004
In 1878 this bull won 2nd prize at the
Smithfield Club, London.
A Prize Bull in a Landscape, 1873
NT2900007
In 1872 this bull won 3rd prize at the
Smithfield Club, London.
A Prize Bull by a Gate, 1878
NT2900009
In 1877 this bull won 2nd prize at Bingley Hall,
Birmingham.
38
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The Clive Museum
The Clive Museum at Powis Castle houses the vast collection of Indian artefacts
and curiosities assembled by Clive of India and his family in the 18th century.
This picture guide deals solely with the British and Continental oil paintings in
the museum; a separate guidebook for the Indian treasures is also available.
The Staircase
(25) Manner of Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1595–1677), early 17th century
NT1180911
Robert Sidney was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of
Commons between 1614 and 1625. He succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester
in 1626. During his retirement he lived at Penshurst in Kent, where he died at the age
of 81. He was later noted in the Parliamentary History of Wales as being ‘esteemed of
great learning, observation and veracity’. X-rays reveal that at some point extensive
changes were made to this painting. In particular, the sitter was previously shown
holding a grey hat decorated with crimson feathers in his left hand. In addition, a
coat of arms with a lion passant and the motto ‘plus ultra’ was previously in the topright corner of the canvas. This may suggest, perhaps, that the canvas was originally
intended for a different sitter.
(--) Charles Clive (fl. 1764–75)
Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1764
NT1181252
This full-length portrait of Clive of India depicts him in full robes, standing beside
his Baron’s coronet. On the wall behind him, in a prominent position, is a portrait of
the Indian army commander Mir Jafar. Jafar famously made an agreement with Clive
to overthrow the Nawab (governor) of Bengal in 1757, and in doing so betrayed his
fellow countrymen. As a result, Clive was able to establish the rule of the British East
India Company and Jafar was installed as the new Nawab. This painting evidently
pays homage to their pact. (On loan from Shrewsbury Museum Service).
(69) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)
Lady Lucy Graham, Countess of Powis (1793–1875), c.1845
NT1180947
Lady Lucy Graham was the daughter of the 3rd Duke of Montrose. In 1818 she married
Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis. She is depicted here wearing a pink dress with a white shawl,
a headdress and a string of pearls. She delicately holds a posy of blooms, carefully
selected to complement the colour of her outfit. The mountainous wooded landscape
behind her seems reminiscent of the Shropshire Hills, not far from Powis Castle.
The Clive Museum
Above
Manner of Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1595–1677), early 17th century
39
40
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(70) Sir Francis Grant (1803–78)
Edward (Clive) Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis III
(1785–1848), 1845
NT1180948
Edward Herbert was the grandson of Clive of
India, though in accordance with his uncle’s
will he took the name Herbert in 1807. This was
a condition of his inheriting the Powis Castle
estates. He was MP for Ludlow between 1806
and 1839, and sat in the House of Lords between
1843 and 1847 where he was successful in his
proposal to unite the dioceses of Bangor and
St Asaph. This portrait was clearly painted to
commemorate this achievement: in his left hand
he holds a document inscribed ‘Saint Asaph and
Bangor Dioceses a Bill’. The artist, Francis Grant,
was renowned for his unaffected approach to
male portraiture. The sense of immediacy in this
portrait, with no hint of ostentation, epitomises
both his style and the character of his sitter.
(71) Frederick Richard Say (1805–60)
Lady Lucy Graham, Countess of Powis (1793–1875),
c.1830
NT1180949
This portrait of Lucy Graham shows her sitting
against an elegant backdrop of a classical column
and urn with a glimpse of a landscape beyond.
Voluptuous red and gold drapery winds its way
around the column, flowing into the graceful
fabric of her white gown and black shawl to fill a
vast expanse of the canvas. She holds a crayon
and a large drawing book, suggesting her artistic
sensibilities. The artist, Frederick Richard Say, was
a highly successful portrait painter who gained
commissions from many illustrious patrons
including Earl Grey, the Duke of Wellington,
George IV and Prince Albert. From 1826 to
1854 he exhibited at the Royal Academy and
the British Institution.
The Clive Museum
The Ballroom
(5) Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland RA (1735–1811)
Margaret Maskelyne, Lady Clive (1735–1817), c.1770–1774
NT1181067
Margaret Maskelyne was the daughter of Edward Maskelyne of Purton, Wiltshire.
In 1753 she married Clive of India in Madras after meeting him at Fort St David on
the Coromandel Coast. The musical score on the table in this portrait is thought to
reflect her passion for music.
(74) British School
Henry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis II, with his Wife and Children, c.1760
NT1180951
In this family portrait, Henry Herbert is shown standing in a statesmanlike manner,
accompanied by his dog in an outdoors setting, framed by a grand archway. His
confident stance and grandiose gesture reflects his esteemed status as an influential
figure in politics and royal administration. To the right of the composition, his
wife Barbara assumes a motherly role: she sits within a magnificent interior and is
accompanied by their two young children, George and Henrietta. This representation
of husband and wife in contrasting roles resonates with contemporary portraits of
King George III with his wife, Queen Charlotte, and their children.
41
42
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(73) James Ward (1769–1859)
A Chestnut Stallion in the Grounds of Powis Castle, 1818
NT1180950
James Ward was the most important animal painter of his generation. He was
particularly renowned for his lively depiction of horses, in which vigorous brushstrokes
and bold colours convey a feeling of movement and energy. Even when depicting
animals at rest, Ward managed to retain a strong sense of dynamism. This is
particularly evident in this painting of a stallion in the grounds at Powis: though
it is at standstill its mane and tail flap in the wind and the warm light of the sun
enhances the definition of its musculature, suggesting the potential of great power.
(80) Jacob Huysmans (c.1633–c.1696)
Lady Elizabeth Somerset, Countess (later Marchioness) of Powis
(c.1633–1691), 1680s
Jacob Huysmans was a Flemish portrait painter. He came to
England shortly before the Restoration of 1660 and established
himself as one of the leading portrait painters at the court of
Charles II. As a Roman Catholic he was favoured by Charles’ wife,
Catharine of Braganza. When the diarist Samuel Pepys visited
Huysmans’ workshop in Westminster on 26 August 1664, he noted
that the artist’s portraits were ‘as good pictures, I think, as ever
I saw’. During his time in England, Huysmans’ style remained in
keeping with the flamboyant continental fashions of the day.
This portrait of Lady Elizabeth Somerset is a fine example of
this manner. (See No. 8 for another portrait of this sitter). On
loan to the National Trust from the Powis Estates Trustees.
The Clive Museum
(114) Benjamin West (1738–1820)
Shah ‘Alam, Mughal Emperor, conveying the Grant of the Diwani to Lord Clive,
August 1765, c.1818
This painting by Benjamin West depicts events that took place in the northern Indian
city of Allahabad on 12 August 1765. On this historic day, the Mughal Emperor Shah
‘Alam granted administrative powers of multiple Indian territories (known as the
‘diwani’) to Robert Clive, ‘Clive of India’. The occasion marked the culmination of
Clive’s diplomatic successes in India, and foundation of the British Raj (raj meaning
‘rule’ in Hindi). The artist captures the exact moment when the Emperor, seated on
a platform and wearing a lavish outfit of gold brocade, hands over the grant in the
form of a scroll to Robert Clive, who wears full uniform in bright red. Representatives
from either side surround the scene, bearing banners and flags of their respective
nations. While there is a heightened sense of occasion present in this picture, the
actual event took place in far more modest circumstances, reportedly in Clive’s tent.
West’s original version of this painting was commissioned for Lord Clive around
1774 and today hangs in Oakly Park, Shropshire. This version, also by West, was
commissioned by Lord Clive’s son Edward and presented to the East India Company
in 1820. On loan to the National Trust from the British Library.
(77) Thomas Hickey (1741–1824)
Prince Azim-ud-Daula, Nawab of the
Carnatic (1775–1819) and his Son Azam Jah
(1800–74), 1803
NT1180953
Azim-ud-Daula was Nawab of the
Carnatic region of India from 1801 until
his death in 1819. The title ‘Nawab’
was bestowed by the Mughal Emperor
upon princely Muslim rulers and can
be best understood, perhaps, as a
similar distinction to a British peerage.
The primary duty of a Nawab was to
uphold the sovereignty of the Mughal
Emperor along with the administration
of a certain province. The artist who
painted this portrait, Thomas Hickey,
was born in Dublin but spent much
of his career travelling around Asia,
particularly in India. He gained most of
his commissions from members of the
British East India Company and their
Indian allies.
43
44
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(79) Jan Weenix the younger (1642–1719)
Landscape with Huntsman and Dead Game, late 17th century
NT1181073
Jan Weenix was a Dutch artist, best known for his paintings of dead game and
hunting scenes. This type of subject matter was extremely popular during the
17th and 18th centuries and ‘game pieces’, as they were often known, were staple
features in British country houses at that time. In both its physical scale and pictorial
complexity, this is perhaps one of Weenix’s most ambitious works. It combines figure
and animal studies with careful observations of flora and fauna, architectural features
and a dramatic landscape; in doing so it showcases the impressive breadth of the his
artistic talents. The painting was bought by Clive of India in 1771 for £315. Records
indicate that it was purchased from a dealer named Greenwood who had imported
it from Holland. The deal was engineered for Clive by the artist Benjamin West. It
originally hung in Clive’s London house, 45 Berkeley Square.
(78) Richard Rothwell (1800–68)
The Six Children of Charles John Herbert (1785–1823) and Louisa Middleton
(1796–1828), 1828–31
NT1180954
Charles John Herbert and his wife Louisa lived at Muckross Abbey, Killarney. After
Charles’ early death at the age of 37, in 1823, Louisa took the children to live at her
family home at Bradford Peverell, in Dorset, however, she died soon after in 1828,
when Richard Rothwell began work on this group portrait. The painting was exhibited
at the Royal Academy in 1831, shortly after its completion. As a depiction of six
orphaned siblings, Rothwell’s sentimental rendering of the Herbert children would
have been all the more poignant for visitors to the exhibition.
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(81) Charles Grignion the younger (1754–1804)
The Hon. Charlotte Clive (1762–95), 1787
NT1180955
This portrait of Charlotte Clive was painted in Rome by the artist Charles Grignion
the Younger. Grignion studied in Paris under J.P. Le Bas and then at Gravelot’s
drawing school in Covent Garden, alongside Thomas Gainsborough. During his
lifetime, he enjoyed a successful career as an engraver, mainly of historical scenes
and book illustrations. In 1782 he won a Royal Academy scholarship to Rome and
remained in Italy until his death. His depiction of Charlotte Clive shows her holding a
large folio of the kind used to contain drawings, thus implying her leisured enjoyment
of art – a desirable attribute for an aristocratic lady of the time.
45
46
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
Above
Studio of Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)
Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
(4) Studio of Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811)
Robert Clive, 1st Lord Clive (1725–74), c.1770
NT1181066
This portrait of Robert Clive is derived from Nathaniel Dance-Holland’s full length
picture which hangs in Powis Castle (No. 33). It shows him wearing military uniform,
adorned with the ribbon of the Order of the Bath – an honour which he received in
1764. The Indian curiosities amassed by Robert Clive are central to the Clive Museum
collection as it appears today. However, such was his enthusiasm for collecting Indian
treasures and mementoes that his family members continued to do so after he died,
contributing to the magnificent array of objects on show.
(97) Attributed to Thomas Hickey (1741–1824)
An unidentified Nawab, c.1790s
NT1180967
The identity of the man in this portrait is uncertain. Traditionally, it has been referred
to as Prince Azim-ud-Daula, Nawab of the Carnatic (1775–1819), though the facial
appearance is markedly different from No. 77, which is more confidently identified
as that sitter. Another candidate is Umdat-ul-Umara (1748–1801), the previous
Nawab of the Carnatic region, who held that position from 1795 to 1801. There is a
strong resemblance with a portrait of Umdat by the British artist Tilly Kettle, sold at
Christie’s in 2000. Umdat ul-Umara was an ally of the British East India Company and
had close connections with Clive of India. However, this relationship turned sour in
1799 when he was accused of betraying the British by collaborating with Tipu Sultan.
He died in mysterious circumstances only two years later, in what was rumoured by
some to have been a deliberate poisoning.
(--) James Northcote (1746–1831)
Sir Henry Strachey (1737–1810), late 18th century
NT1181214
Sir Henry Strachey was appointed private secretary to Lord Clive in India in 1762,
and held the position until 1768 when he was returned to Parliament for Pontefract.
His portrait, by James Northcote, was probably painted around the time that the
artist was working as a pupil and studio assistant to Sir Joshua Reynolds. Northcote
later came to consider himself an authority on his master and in 1813, after Reynolds’
death, he published his posthumous Memoirs of Sir Joshua Reynolds.
47
48
A Guide to the Pictures at Powis Castle
The moral right of the author has been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor
be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is
published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on
the subsequent purchaser.
© National Trust Books 2016
Registered Charity no: 205846
Acknowledgements
The National Trust gratefully acknowledges a generous bequest from the late
Mr and Mrs Kenneth Levy that has supported the cost of preparing this book.
Illustrations: National Trust pp.2, 4 (top and bottom), 5 (top and bottom), 6, 7,
10 (top), 13 (top and bottom), 20, 23, 25, 39, 41; National Trust Images cover, pp.12
(top), 24, 42 (top), 44, 45; National Trust/Claire Bates pp.8 (top and bottom), 13
(centre), 19 (top and centre), 34, 40, (bottom), 43; National Trust/John Hammond
pp.9, 10 (bottom), 14, 15 (top and bottom), 16 (top and bottom), 17 (top and bottom),
19 (bottom), 20, 29, 33, 35, 36, 40 (top), 42 (bottom) 46; National Trust/Matthew
Hollow pp.12 (bottom), 36 37 (left and right); National Trust/Erik Pelham p.31.
Text written by Dr Peter Moore
Edited by Claire Forbes
Designed by Level Partnership, Cranbrook, Kent
Cover: Detail from A Chestnut Stallion in the Grounds of Powis Castle 1818,
by James Ward (1769–1859)
Discover the wealth of our collections – great art and treasures to see and enjoy
throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland – see our website:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/houses-and-buildings/collections/