Portrait of Duke of Wellington

The artist, Thomas Lawrence, was renowned as the great portraitist of his day, and his skills were in huge demand amongst the artistic and political elite. Lawrence would go on to create a huge series of portraits of the victors of Waterloo, from generals to monarchs, to be hung in Windsor Castle’s Waterloo Chamber.

At the time of the portrait, Wellington was one of the heroes of Europe thanks to the triumph of Waterloo. This is evident in the portrait, which catches something of the confidence and satisfaction of the successful commander. As such, it makes an interesting contrast with the earlier portrait of Wellington by the Spanish artist, Francisco Goya, begun when the Peninsular War was still being fought, where the strain of high command is etched across his features. If Goya’s portrait is Wellington the man, Lawrence’s is Wellington the hero.

This painting was reproduced extensively in print form, beginning in the same year that it was completed and with copies still being turned out into the twentieth century. These popular reproductions of the Duke added yet further lustre to his heroic reputation and helped to impress this particular image of Wellington onto the public imagination.