The Portrait of the Duke of Wellington
1812 - 1814
Francisco Goya
The Spanish artist, Francisco Goya, painted during the period August 1812 – 1814, The Portrait of the Duke of Wellington.
Francisco Goya
1826
Museo del Prado
The painting depicts, Lord Wellington during the interim of the Peninsular War (1807 – 1814) and the Waterloo Campaign (1815)
At the start of the of the paining Lord Wellington, then showing him as an Earl and wearing a red uniform. He is also wearing the Peninsular Medal (1810), with the additional three bars. Wellington’s medal is the highest medal awarded; the Cross has nine bars totalling for 13 actions. The medal can be view today at the basement at Apsley House, London.
Sitting for the paining could have taken place in Madrid, Spain, after victory of Battle of Salamanca (1812). By 1814, Goya, made modifications to the painting to show Wellington in full black dress, with gold braid, and the addition Order of the Golden Fleece and Military Gold Cross.
Francisco Goya's chalk drawing
1812
Equestrian Portrait of
the Duke of Wellington
Goya, also made a chalk drawing of Wellington, held in the British Museum, also at Apsley House is the painting Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Wellington. Wellington is shown to be riding his horse. It does seem to be that this isn’t Wellington’s famous horse, Copenhagen. Copenhagen, who after a racing career, lasting from 1811 – 1812, was sent out Lisbon in 1813, to embrace in a military service. Firstly, Copenhagen was sold to Sir Charles Vane. When Vane left Spain, Copenhagen who was sold to Colonel Gordon. Gordon had brought another horse for Wellington, but during the battle, Copenhagen was chosen horse.
Wellington on Copenhagen
Thomas Lawrence
Copenhagen's grave
Stratfield Saye House, Hampshire
After the campaign, Copenhagen was still used by Wellington in parades and ceremonial events. Copenhagen retired to Wellington’s Stratfield Saye House, Hampshire, where he died 1836, aged 28.
Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington was acquired by Wellington himself, and the possession past to Louisa Catherine Caton, wife of Francis D’Arcy Osborne, 7th Duke of Leeds, and sister-in-law of Wellington’s older brother, Richard Wellesley.
1961, John Osborne, 11th Duke of Leeds, sold the portrait at auction at Sotheby’s. a bid of £140,000 (£3 million today), made by Charles Wrightsman. The Wolfson Foundation offered £100,000 and the British Government offed a special Treasury grant of £40,000, obtaining the portrait for the National Gallery.
The portrait went on display at the National Gallery, 2nd August 1961. Nineteen days later, 21st August 1961, it was stolen (60 years yesterday) by Kempton Bunton.
Kempton Bunton
How did Bunton do it? Bunton, whom was a disabled British pensioner after retiring as a bus driver. Following conversations with guards at the National Gallery, Bunton learnt that the electronic security system were deactivated during early morning to allow the cleaners to carry out their work. Earl morning 21st August, Bunton had loosened the window in the toilet and grained entry to the gallery, prised the portrait off the wall, and left the same way through the window.
At the time police thought that the art theft was an expert, however, after Reuters had received a letter requesting a donation £140,000 to charity to pay for TV licences for poorer people, also amnesty for the theft, for which the painting would be returned. The demand wasn’t paid.
Paul Julius Reuter
Reuters founder, Paul Julius Reuter, was a visitor at Adelina Patti’s Craig-y-Nos estate.
1965, Bunton contacted the newspapers, claiming that that the painting had been left left-luggage office at Birmingham New Street railway station. 6-weeks later, he surrendered himself to the police. They discounted him as a theft.
Bunton was tired in a subsequential trial, where Bunton was found guilty of theft of the frame, which had not been returned, and was sentenced to 3-months in prison. Kempton’s defence was led by Jeremy Hutchinson QC, who claimed that Kempton didn’t want to keep the , thus meaning that he could not be convict of stealing it. As a result of the case, Section 11, of the Theft Act, 1968, was added. Making it offence to remove without authority.
James Bond Dr. No
1962
The Portrait of the Duke of Wellington, also did feature in James Bond film Dr. No, 1962, where it was on display Dr. No Jamaica’s lair. This copy was painted by Kenneth Adam German-British movie production designer. Even this copy was stolen!
The Third of May, 1808
1814
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya painted during 1814, The Third of May, 1808. The description of the painting is set in the early hours of the morning following the uprising and centres on two masses of men: one a rigidly poised firing squad, the other a disorganized group of captives held at gunpoint. Executioners and victims face each other abruptly across a narrow space.
Frank Brangwyn
Damn the War, 1919
1919
Frank Brangwyn
It is this piece work, which was the inspiration for Frank Brangwyn’s woodcut Damn the War, 1919.
Brangwyn notable work can be found in the Brangwyn Hall, Guildhall, British Empire Panels.
During the First World War, Brangwyn, who wasn’t an official war artist designed over 80 posters