William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland

c. 1774

Matthew Pratt

Painter, American, 1734 - 1805

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Clarence Van Dyke Tiers

  • Dimensions

    overall: 76.3 x 63.2 cm (30 1/16 x 24 7/8 in.)
    framed: 99.7 x 87 x 2.9 cm (39 1/4 x 34 1/4 x 1 1/8 in.)

  • Accession

    1942.13.2

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist's descendants to his granddaughter, Maria Fennell [d. 28 March 1880], Philadelphia;[1] bequeathed to her niece, Rosalie Vallance Tiers Jackson [Mrs. Charles P. Jackson, 1852-1944];[2] by gift 1915 to her nephew, Clarence Van Dyke Tiers [1869-1959], Oakmont, PA and Daytona Beach, FL; gift 1942 to NGA.
[1]The painting's presumed provenance was from the artist to his daughter Mary [Mrs. William Fennell, 1771-1849]. Her three daughters were Maria and Susan, who never married, and Anna Matilda, who married Arundius Tiers (William Sawitzky, Matthew Pratt, A Study of his Work (New York, 1942), 27). [2]In her will, dated September 4, 1879 (Philadelphia, Register of Wills, W476-1880), Maria Fennell left most of her estate to Rosalie Tiers. She provided that her niece inherit "my share of the pictures and household furniture, which I own jointly with my sister Susan Fennell." The portrait is not mentioned specifically.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1828

  • Seventeenth Annual Exhibition of the Pennyslvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1828, no. 98.

1887

  • Loan Exhibition of Historical Portraits, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1887-1888.

1943

  • American Paintings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1943.

1947

  • American Paintings from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1947.

1949

  • American Paintings from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1949.

1952

  • Opening Exhibition of The George Thomas Hunter Gallery of Art, Chattanooga Art Association, Tennessee, 1952, unnumbered.

  • [Opening exhibition], Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1952, no. cat.

1953

  • American Paintings from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1953.

1955

  • American Paintings from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1955.

1956

  • American Paintings from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1956.

1972

  • Loan for display with permanent collection, Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, 1972-1974.

Bibliography

1828

  • Seventeenth Annual Exhibition of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Exh. cat. Philadelphia, 1828: no. 98.

1867

  • Tuckerman, Henry T. Book of the Artists: American Artist Life Comprising Biographical and Critical Sketches of American Artists. 5th ed. 1870. Reprint, New York, 1966: 48.

1869

  • Dunlap, William. A History of the Rise and Progress of The Arts of Design in the United States. 2 vols. Reprinted in 3. New York, 1969 (1834): 1:pl. 24.

1931

  • Bolton, Theodore, and Harry Lorin Binsse. "Pratt, Painter of Colonial Portraits and Signboards." The Antiquarian 17, no. 3 (September 1931): 50, as "Portland, Duchess. Mentioned by Dunlap."

1942

  • Sawitzky, William. Matthew Pratt, 1734-1805. New York, 1942: 10-11, 59-60, pl. 9.

1952

  • Opening Exhibition of the George Thomas Hunter Gallery of Art. Exh. cat. Chattanooga Art Association, 1952: unnumbered.

1955

  • Rutledge, Anna Wells. Cumulative Record of Exhibition Catalogues: the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1807-1870; the Society of Artists, 1800-1814; the Artists' Fund Society, 1835-1845. Philadelphia, 1955: 175.

1970

  • American Paintings and Sculpture: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1970: 92, repro., as The Duke of Portland.

1980

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1980: 212, repro.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 375, no. 530, color repro., as The Duke of Portland.

1992

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1992: 265, repro.

1995

  • Miles, Ellen G. American Paintings of the Eighteenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1995: 142-144, repro. 143.

Wikidata ID

Q20178657

You may be interested in

Loading Results