Arthur William Devis
Portrait of Sir John Shore Bt. 1st Lord Teignmouth (1751-1834), c.1800
Oil on canvas
Standing three quarter length in an interior before a red swag wearing a dark coat and buff breeches standing by a table with Address of the British Inhabitants of Calcutta upon it. Shore's right hand rests on a copy of the Life of Sir William Jones (1746-1794), esteemed Orientalist, Judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, President of the Asiatic Society and a close friend of Shore
Standing three quarter length in an interior before a red swag wearing a dark coat and buff breeches standing by a table with Address of the British Inhabitants of Calcutta upon it. Shore's right hand rests on a copy of the Life of Sir William Jones (1746-1794), esteemed Orientalist, Judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, President of the Asiatic Society and a close friend of Shore
125.5 x 98.5 cm
49 3/8 x 38 3/4 in
49 3/8 x 38 3/4 in
John Shore was born on the 8th of October 1751 the son of Thomas Shore a supercargo (shipping supervisor) in the service of the East India Company. John was educated...
John Shore was born on the 8th of October 1751 the son of Thomas Shore a supercargo (shipping supervisor) in the service of the East India Company. John was educated at Harrow and went out to India as a writer in the Bengal. He joined the Civil Service in 1769 was swiftly promoted and became a loyal and lifelong friend of Warren Hastings. Shore was made a member of the Supreme Council (1787-89) and was an effective administrator despite being considered over attentive to regulations. He assisted Lord Cornwallis in introducing many reforms. On the retirement of Cornwallis Shore was appointed Governor General in September 1792 and created a baronet a month later. He sought a policy of non-interference but deposed Wazir Ali for whom he substituted Saadat Ali as Nawab of Oudh. His term of office was also notable for a mutiny of the officers of the Indian army which Shore met with concessions. He was created Baron Teignmouth in the peerage of Ireland upon his resignation and return to London in 1798. He was appointed member of the Board of Control (1807-28) and was for many years president of the British and Foreign Bible Society. In addition he was a keen philanthropist a modest poet and a zealous evangelist. Shore married Charlotte Cornish (1759-1834). He died on the 14th of February 1834 and was succeeded to the title by his son Charles John (1796-1885).
Devis produced six portraits of the Shore family between 1797 and 1817. Devis had flourished in India from 1785-1795 despite stiff competition from Johann Zoffany and Thomas Hickey. He was paid the remarkable sum of £2,530 for his portrait of Lord Cornwallis in 1793 (approximately £250 000 in today s terms) but he was destined nonetheless to die destitute and apoplectic in 1822 aged sixty.
Devis produced six portraits of the Shore family between 1797 and 1817. Devis had flourished in India from 1785-1795 despite stiff competition from Johann Zoffany and Thomas Hickey. He was paid the remarkable sum of £2,530 for his portrait of Lord Cornwallis in 1793 (approximately £250 000 in today s terms) but he was destined nonetheless to die destitute and apoplectic in 1822 aged sixty.
Provenance
The sitter (1st Lord Teignmouth), Ex Govenor General of India (1793-1797)
Thence by descent; passing from the 1st Lord directly to his son the 2nd Lord in Yorkshire it was inherited by the 3rd Lord Teignmouth who lived at Crossways in Oxford. After the death of the 3rd Lord the portrait was transferred to the home of his brother the 4th Lord at Ballyduff, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. Upon his death in 1921 it was removed to the home of another brother the 5th Lord at Mount Elton, Clevedon. The 5th Lord died in 1926 when it passed to the 6th Lord (d.1964) and 7th Lord (d.1981) then took ownership and the portrait has been in the consignor s possession since 1981 when the title had become extinct.
Exhibitions
National Portrait Exhibition (part 3, Reign of George III), The South Kensington Museum, London, 1868, listed in the printed catalogue number 64, (lent by the 2nd Lord Teignmouth then living at Langton Hall Northallerton North Yorkshire) label on stretcherArthur William Devis, Preston Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, 2000, published in the exhibition catalogue, p.18 and p.43 (fig.20)