Nicholas Bernard Allen;
Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 31 July 1974, lot 101A, for £850 to Cliff.

The canvas has a firm relining, the paint surface is stable with a clear and even varnish. There are no major damages visible to the naked eye. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals very little as it fluoresces opaque - there is only one small restoration to an old damage in the background at the top left corner measuring 2 x 2 cm. In overall seemingly very good condition. Offered in a carved and gilt wood frame with only a few chips and losses.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Hastings was one of the most pre-eminent soldiers and statesmen of his day. Born in Dublin and educated at Harrow and Oxford, his appointments as Governor-General of Bengal in 1813 and Governor of Malta in 1824 were the culmination of a successful military career that began in the American War of Independence. He was a close friend of both George, Prince of Wales (later George IV), and his younger brother Frederick, Duke of York. The present portrait relates to a small full-length portrait by Chinnery in the collection of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation,¹ one of a small number of official portraits of Hastings by Chinnery during his stay in Calcutta between 1807 and 1825. A three-quarter-length, showing Hastings seated and in military uniform, was in the Bengal Artillery Mess Room at Dum Dum in 1823, and another full-length was commissioned by the masonic lodge at Mauritius, where Hastings (at that time a leading freemason) had laid the corner-stone of the new cathedral. In June 1816 this portrait was already in progress and the likeness is recorded in the Calcutta Government Gazzette as 'already correct and striking'.² A further full-length by Chinnery was sold in these rooms 12 July 1989, lot 65.

When the present portrait was sold in 1974 (see Provenance) it was listed as having been painted for Sir Charles D'Oyly Bt. in 1818.

1. See, P. Conner, George Chinnery 1744-1852, Artist of India and the China Coast, London 1993, reproduced p. 113, colour plate 25.
2. Calcutta Government Gazzette, 27 June 1816.