Portrait of William IV (Wilkie) explained

Portrait of William IV
Artist:David Wilkie
Year:1832
Type:Oil on canvas, portrait
Height Metric:270
Width Metric:178.4
Metric Unit:cm
Imperial Unit:in
Museum:Royal Collection
City:Windsor Castle

Portrait of William IV is an 1832 portrait painting by the Scottish artist David Wilkie. It is a depiction of the reigning British monarch William IV, who had come to the throne two years earlier.[1] [2] [3] Wilkie was Principal Painter in Ordinary to the king and produced this full-length work showing William in his garter robes with St Edward's Crown beside him. Wilkie was a great admirer of Old Masters and the presentation of the king echoes that of Hans Holbein's Portrait of Henry VIII.[4]

It was exhibited at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition. It hangs in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle alongside the many paintings by Thomas Lawrence of the European leaders at the time of the defeat of Napoleon.[5]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Ormond p.195
  2. Herrmann p.201
  3. Tromans p.xvi
  4. https://www.rct.uk/collection/404931/william-iv-1765-1837
  5. https://www.rct.uk/collection/404931/william-iv-1765-1837