Item 002/92 - Portrait of the Right Hon. Henry Pelham, Chancellor of the Exchequer and 1st Lord of the Treasury, with his secretary, John Roberts

1 framed painting, oil on canvas. 64" x 59".

Pelham sits on the left to the front of the composition. He is depicted with dark blue-grey eyes and heavy eyebrows nearly concealing a wart above his right eye. His long grey wig falling in front of his left shoulder and behind his right. He wears his chancellor's gown with gold lace over black coat, with a flocked details, lace cravat and wrist ruffles. Pelham is seated in a plain red chair, draped curtain behind, a letter without writing in his left hand. On the right sits John Roberts, with dark blue-grey eyes and dark brows. He is positioned behind a table draped with a green cloth. Roberts wears a red coat with the top button fastened and lace cuffs; he holds a quill to a page and further papers topped by an inkstand holding a second quill can be seen on the extreme right. Behind Roberts is an archway with sky and trees visible beyond. The composition is lit from the top left.

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Another version of this composition is owned by the Government Art Collection: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/henry-pelham-16941754-and-his-secretary-john-roberts-29225
Another copy of the painting was sold at Christie's, 31 May 1935, lot 105, and had a background showing the Waynflete Tower at Esher Park, the seat bought by Pelham, 1729, and improved by William Kent.
The portrait was produced as a mezzotint by Richard Houston and versions of this print are in the National Portrait Gallery's reference collection (NPG D40107 and D40108): https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw201785/Henry-Pelham-John-Roberts

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