Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
- Artist: Thomas Gainsborough
- Date: 1783
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 29 1/2 in. x 24 1/2 in. (749 mm x 622 mm)
- Portrays: Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is a portrait by Thomas Gainsborough, painted in 1783. It’s oil on canvas, set in a feigned oval frame that lifts the figure slightly above the background. The sitter, Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, stands in his uniform, fingers resting comfortably on his shoulder strap. You’ll notice the soft brushwork around the eyes and the subtle shadow under the hat brim, which give depth to his profile.
Gainsborough captured him before he left for Bengal as governor‑general. The painter aimed to show Cornwallis as “manly, affable and good‑natured.”
See it in person
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis 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.
