Colonel Dr John Matthews, MP (1755-1826)

after George Romney (Dalton-in-Furness 1734 – Kendal 1802). Oil painting on canvas, Colonel Dr John Matthews of Burton (1755 - 1826), after George Romney (Dalton-in-Furness 1734 – Kendal 1802). A three-quarter-length seated portrait, in maroon coat on red upholstered chair, with book. Copy of Tate Gallery No 4486 dated 1786. Painted post 1904. This picture and its companion are copies of pictures that were given to what is now Tate Britain in 1929. Henry Hornyold(-Strickland)’s aunt, Berthe de La Chere, who gave away the originals,was the niece of Henry Matthews,Viscount Llandaff, who had inherited these portraits of his grandparents from his father, Henry Matthews.The sitter is shown here in his guise as an occasional poet. In the original, a relation of his house, Belmont, is shown at the table: his was either never painted, or has been painted over in this copy, apparently because Lord Llandaff was disbarred from inheriting Belmont because he was a Catholic. Sizergh Castle, Cumbria