Portrait of George III (Lawrence)

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Portrait of George III
ArtistThomas Lawrence
Year1809
TypeOil on canvas, portrait
Dimensions72.3 cm × 116.2 cm (28.5 in × 45.7 in)
LocationRoyal Collection, London

George III is am 1809 portrait painting by the English artist Thomas Lawrence depicting the British monarch George III. It depicts the King in his robes for the State Opening of Parliament.[1] [2] It was commissioned by George as a gift for the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Henry Addington.[3] George had reigned since 1760, but he was troubled by occasional bouts of mental instability. In 1810, shortly after celebrating the Golden Jubilee on the throne, George was overcome by a more lasting loss of control and his eldest son George was declared Prince Regent. The image by Lawrence continued to be used to represent the King throughout the remainder of his reign.

George is shown in a pose that mixes the ceremonial and the informal. The King wears his robes of state and holds a document in one hand. It is now part of the Royal Collection[4]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Ingamells, John. National Portrait Gallery Mid-Georgian Portraits, 1760-1790. National Portrait Gallery, 2004.
  • Levey, Michael. Sir Thomas Lawrence. Yale University Press, 2005.