Portrait of Horace Walpole
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| Portrait of Horace Walpole | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Joshua Reynolds |
| Year | c.1756 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait painting |
| Dimensions | 127.2 cm × 101.8 cm (50.1 in × 40.1 in) |
| Location | National Portrait Gallery, London |
Portrait of Horace Walpole is a 1756 portrait painting by the British artist Joshua Reynolds. It depicts the English politician, novelist and historian Horace Walpole.[1] The son of the Prime Minister Robert Walpole, he was for many years a Whig Member of Parliament. As an author he is best known for his 1764 Gothic work The Castle of Otranto. He is portrayed by Reynolds as a gentleman scholar with a depiction of the Ancient Roman eagle statue he had acquired in Caracalla.[2]
Three versions of the painting were produced. One has been in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London since 1999. A 1757 mezzotint was produced by the Irish engraver James MacArdell.[3]