Frederick Hervey (1730-1803), 4th Earl of Bristol (oil on canvas)

Bishop of Cloyne from 1767-68 and Bishop of Derry from 1768-1803; known as the Earl-Bishop; art collector and traveller; Frederick Augustus was the capricious and eccentric fourth son of John, Lord Hervey (1696-1743) and Mary Lepel. He succeeded his brother as 4th Earl in 1779. He is known as a traveller (mainly in Italy), builder (Ickworth, Ballyscullion and Down Hill), and collector. Although this portrait has long been attributed to Angelica Kauffman, it looks most like a Hugh Douglas Hamilton, but very late in style. The likeness was probably taken from an ad vivum portrait – very possibly a miniature, and was probably commissioned by the sitter’s eldest son, Frederick William, 5th Earl & later 1st Marquess of Bristol (1769-1859). Although the church in the painting propped up beside the Earl-Bishop has always been called Derry Cathedral, its tower and spire bear no resemblance to the tower with the octagonal spire that he had built in 1778. It looks much more like one of the ordinary parish churches that he had rebuilt in the 1790s.