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George IV: Art & Spectacle

New insights revealed into George IV's unrivalled collection of paintings, porcelain and furniture

JOHN RUSSELL (1745-1806)

George IV (1762-1830), when Prince of Wales

Signed and dated 1791

Oil on canvas | 250.2 x 180.3 cm (support, canvas/panel/str external) | RCIN 405414

The Prince of Wales was interested in his self-image. This flattering, athletic portrait was commissioned by him as a prize for a meeting of the Royal Kentish Bowmen. As president of the society, he is dressed in their green uniform. He leans on the pedestal of a statue of Diana, the classical goddess of hunting and chastity. He is not yet overly fat, yet something of his epicurean character is suggested by his pose, hair and expression. His brother once tried to lure him to a Kentish Bowmen dinner by promising him turtle and venison, served in tents in rural Surrey. This painting was commissioned by the Prince of Wales as a prize for a meeting of the Bowmen in the 1790s and was bought by his great-nephew King Edward VII in 1908.

Inscribed: Painted by J. Russell R.A. Crayon Painter to His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 1791

    The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.