Portrait of Daniel O'Connell as Governor of the National Bank

This portrait of Daniel O'Connell, the great Irish political leader known as the Liberator for his successful campaign for Catholic emancipation, was painted in 1838 when O'Connell was at the height of his fame as Governor of the National Bank of Ireland. Wilkie, as Principal Painter in Ordinary to the Crown, was well positioned to document the leading political figures of his era, and this portrait of the most prominent Irish politician of the nineteenth century carries considerable historical significance. As Principal Painter in Ordinary, Wilkie occupied the summit of the British art establishment, and his late portraits reflect his mature style, transformed by his encounter with Velázquez during the Spanish journey of 1827-28. The portrait captures O'Connell with characteristic psychological directness in Wilkie's mature manner.

The portrait is rendered with warm coloring that characterizes David Wilkie's best work. Oil on canvas provides a rich ground for the subtle gradations of flesh tone and the textural contrasts between skin, fabric, and background that give the image its convincing presence.