Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey

Philip Westcott 1815-1878, was a British born artist. This portrait is of the former Prime Minister Charles Grey 2nd Earl of the House of Howick, he was Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834, he was a tall stately figure with a calm and aristocratic manner. This picture by Westcott was painted in 1842 when Grey was living in retirement from politics where he took no further part, he died in July 1845 and this is almost certainly the last portrait of him. The scrupulous , upright and reserved character displayed with a certain stiffness and statesmanlike pose is relevant to the pose here displayed by Grey and he who was admirably disposed to the highest class and self sacrificing politician that Grey was and a credit to Westcott for showing all this in a single portrait. Westcott painted a great many portraits of the wealthy aristocracy throughout the United Kingdom but none so generous as this. The picture has undergone a period of expert conservation and is shown here in it's conserved and extant condition, it is signed and dated discreetly within the folds of the carpet. The whole presentation being quintessentially English.