George IV

George IV in the robes of state — or more likely in the elaborate Highland dress he wore during his famous 1822 visit to Edinburgh — is one of the most iconic images of this vain, cultured, extravagant monarch. At the Wallace Collection, this portrait shows the king Lawrence knew better than perhaps any other artist, their thirty-year relationship having shaped both their careers. George IV's patronage was the foundation of Lawrence's international success.

Lawrence deploys his full powers of idealization and grandeur, presenting the increasingly corpulent king with the dignity and elegance that George demanded. The rich costume provides opportunity for virtuoso handling of fabric, fur, and jewels, while the face is painted with the flattering warmth that kept Lawrence in royal favor for three decades.