William Lamb (1779-1848), 2nd Viscount Melbourne

John Hoppner painted William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne around 1796, a portrait of the future Prime Minister during his youth — at this date he was a student at Cambridge, not yet the politician who would serve as Victoria's first Prime Minister. Hoppner was among the leading British portraitists of the generation between Reynolds and Lawrence, and his portraits of young aristocrats have a particular freshness and psychological directness that captures the character of individuals before the social polish of public life has fully formed over their personalities. Melbourne's later political career — his education of the young Victoria, his languid political cynicism — is not yet evident in the alert, intelligent face Hoppner depicted.

Hoppner renders the young Lamb with the soft, atmospheric style he developed as a rival to Thomas Lawrence. The warm tones and fluid handling show the influence of Reynolds, with a Romantic sensibility in the youthful sitter's expression.