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Description: | Acquisition: gift from Francis Fortescue Urquhart, of Urquhart, c.1904 Description: Whole length, standing to left on an oriental rug in front of a fireplace, head turned to face viewer; dark hair and whiskers; white collar and waistcoat; black tie with white flecks and gold pin; black coat, grey trousers; his right elbow rests on a mantlepiece, pearl ring on little finger of his closed right hand; his closed left hand on his left hip; the back of his head and shoulders are reflected in a large mirror over the mantelpiece, in which is also seen the opposite side of the room, with a bookcase, the shelves full of books and packets of letters, a Japanese fan, and, possibly, a bronze urn; beside these, a landscape painting over a clock, and a door open on to the landing beyond, with pictures hanging on a green wall. On the mantelpiece of dark grey and white marble are a Japanese fan, bundles of letters, a bronze statuette, and other objects. Small white labels with illegible inscriptions beneath the urn (?) and fan. In front to right is a small whatnot laden with books, papers, and a dispatch box; on the rug at his master's feet lies a white bull terrier with pricked ears. A Liberal MP, Fortescue was Chief Secretary for Ireland under Lord Russell in 1865, and again under Gladstone from 1868 to 1870. The portrait was presented to the sitter's wife, Lady Waldegrave, by a large group of Irishmen - including 27 peers, 5 Roman Catholic bishops, and 49 members of Parliament - to commemorate Lord Carlingford's tenure of the Chief Secretaryship of Ireland. When the portrait was painted Fortescue was President of the Board of Trade, and was later Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council; he was raised to the peerage in 1874. The portrait was given to the University by sitter's nephew, Francis Fortescue Urquhart, Fellow of Balliol College, about 1904. It was taken down by order of the Acting Curator, the Revd T.W. Green, in 1920, and re-hung in the North School in 1957. External Link: Oxford Portraits website | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Artist: by James Tissot | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=892... | Go to resource |
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