Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington ('The Duke of Wellington Surveying the Field of Waterloo')
- Artist: Benjamin Robert Haydon
- Date: 1839
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 30 in. x 25 in. (762 mm x 635 mm)
- Portrays: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
In this oil on canvas, the Duke of Wellington appears in civilian clothes, his face weathered by time yet still proud. He gazes over a distant landscape that hints at the field of Waterloo, the battlefield where he triumphed fifteen years earlier. In front of him lie a helmet and sword, props the artist placed after the duke agreed to sit twice for the work.
The portrait shows subtle shadows across his face, lending depth to his expression. Haydon intended it as a companion piece to “Napoleon musing at St Helena”, creating an imagined dialogue between two historic figures: one prisoner in exile, the other victorious on the battlefield.
Painted in 1839, this image captures both the personal reflection of the aging field marshal and his national significance as prime minister. The duke’s initial reluctance to pose adds an extra layer of intimacy to the scene.
See it in person
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington ('The Duke of Wellington Surveying the Field of Waterloo') is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
