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The Rt Hon. David Lloyd George
The Rt Hon. David Lloyd George
The Rt Hon. David Lloyd George

The Rt Hon. David Lloyd George

Artist (Tenby, Wales, 1878 - 1961)
Sitter (Manchester, England, 1863 - 1945)
Date1916
Mediumoil on canvas
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsOverall: Height: 91.6 cm, Width: 72 cm
Frame: Height: 118.5 cm, Width: 98.2 cm
AcquisitionPresented in 1916 by Sir James Murray.
Copyright© The Artist. All Rights Reserved 2023 / Bridgeman Images
LocationOn Display - Gallery 18
Object numberABDAG003087
About MeThe story of how this painting of the Welsh Wizard came to belong to Aberdeen Art Gallery is an interesting and unusual one. It goes back to the dark days of World War I, to a sale of pictures in aid of the Red Cross, early in 1915. A large blank canvas was knocked down to Sir James Murray, Chairman of the Aberdeen Art Gallery, for 210 guineas. It was a high price to pay for a blank canvas but the donor was Augustus John, flamboyant doyen of British art, and he had promised to paint a portrait on it.

At first Sir James could not think what to do with his canvas and to have his own portrait painted seems not to have occurred to him but - 'a few days later it dawned on me that the Chancellor's portrait was the solution'. Lloyd George had recently visited Aberdeen on a political speech-making tour and had dined with Sir James at Glenburnie Park in Rubislaw Den North. With these pleasant memories of his reception in the city he agreed at once.

Soon after arranging sittings with Augustus John 'from 9.45 - 10.30am' he was appointed Minister of Munitions and was so busy that they were given only rarely. John described him as ''a fine subject but a bad sitter.'' There was relief all round when the portrait was finished in February 1916, Lloyd George confessing to Murray, -''No-one but you could have made me do this!'' Sir James wrote later of how he promptly drew out a packet of 100 Peter Mitchell cigars and handed them to the Minister 'for his good conduct - sort of prize for the boy who had come well out of a trying ordeal'.
More About Me
Both Augustus John, the painter, and David Lloyd George, the subject, grew up in Wales and were viewed as 'unconventional'. How might their characters have influenced the brushstrokes in this painting?
Exhibitions