Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
- Artist: Sir Thomas Lawrence
- Date: 1825
- Medium: oil on panel
- Dimensions: 45 in. x 32 1/4 in. (1143 mm x 819 mm)
- Portrays: Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is a portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence in oil on panel, painted in 1825. The canvas measures roughly 45 inches wide and 32¼ inches high, giving the work its substantial presence. In front of us sits Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, a lawyer and Whig MP who became prominent after his defence of Queen Caroline at her trial in 1820. Lawrence captured him with a relaxed pose: one hand resting on a chair while the other holds a stack of documents, hinting at his legal duties.
Notice the fine detail in his attire—shaded fabrics that show light from the left side, creating depth and texture typical of Regency portraiture. The background is simple, letting Brougham’s face and the careful rendering of his features take centre stage.
Shortly after the Queen Caroline trial, William Walker, an engraver and printmaker, commissioned Lawrence to paint this portrait so that prints could be sold for both artists. Thus the painting stands not only as a likeness but also as part of a larger cycle of published portraits that helped shape 19th‑century visual culture.
See it in person
Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux 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.
