Paintings, Prints & Drawings — 1841-1861
Portrait of Renton Nicholson with Allegorical Scenes and Figures
Renton Nicholson ( 1809-61) was an impresario who, in 1841, established the satirical Judge and Jury Society at the Garrick's Head and Town Hotel in Covent Garden. Politicians, statesmen, poets, and actors were among those who witnessed the humorous mock trials held there. When the Society relocated to the Strand, mock elections and mock parliamentary debates were introduced.
In this portrait Nicholson is portrayed in his role within the Society as 'the Lord Chief Baron'. Wearing Judge's robes and holding a volume entitled 'Comic' BLACKSTONE, he stands between a jester and the personification of Justice. Inset are portraits of judges, putti as barristers conducting a mock trial and the birth of Venus, among others; at the top of the painting is an imitation of the Royal Coat of Arms.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 34.272
- Object name:
- Portrait of Renton Nicholson with Allegorical Scenes and Figures
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Henning, Archibald Samuel
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1841-1861
- Material:
oil, canvas, wood
- Measurements/duration:
- H 897 mm, W 110 mm (unframed), H 9900 mm, W 1190 mm, D 40 mm (framed)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
Presented by C. Reginald Grundy through the Art Fund.
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.