Allan Ramsay
Born 1713, Edinburgh, Scotland; died 1784, Dover, England
King George III, 1761-1762, oil on canvas
239cm x 162.5cm
Gift of John B King and Family in celebration of the State of Victoria's 150th anniversary, 1985
Photographer: Ian Hill
Visual description:
This full-length figure portrait of King George III shows him in an interior setting, surrounded by draped curtains and carpets, behind which a large stone column is partially revealed. He wears elaborate, gold-toned clothing with a long, ermine white fur cloak draped over the shoulders and pooling below onto the floor. One arm rests on a table covered with fabric and crown jewels, while the other arm is bent at the side. He stands in a confident and naturalistic pose, gazing off to the left of the composition. His attire includes knee-high golden trousers with tight white socks, and white and gold court shoes, and he wears the curled white ‘periwig’ of the era.
Curator’s insight:
The expansion of the British Empire from the late 16th to the early 20th century was valorised through the repetition and proliferation of images that affirmed colonial rule and British superiority. This legacy is evident in many 18th and 19th century artworks in Bendigo Art Gallery’s collection; the majority of which celebrate the conquests and ideologies of the inheritors of colonial power. Allan Ramsay’s 1761 portrait of King George III in his coronation robes was one of the most popular paintings of its time, reproduced en masse by the artist’s studio, and widely disseminated as a symbol of imperial power and prosperity. This portrait depicts the young king shortly after his coronation at the age of 22; George went on to reign for nearly sixty years (1760– 1820).
His fascination for agricultural improvement led to his popular nickname ‘Farmer George’, although his enduring nickname is the pejorative ‘Mad King George’. George III is mainly remembered for the ‘loss’ of the American colonies and the long periods of debilitating mental illness that left him unable to rule. Versions of this painting hang in many galleries around the world, including the National Portrait Gallery, London.