Henry Grattan
- Artist: Peter Turnerelli
- Date: circa 1812-1813
- Medium: plaster
- Dimensions: 21 7/8 in. x 11 3/4 in. (555 mm x 300 mm) overall
- Portrays: Henry Grattan
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is a plaster cast of a bust of Henry Grattan, made in the early 1810s by the sculptor Peter Turnerelli. The piece measures just under two feet tall and eleven inches wide – small enough to fit into a studio but still detailed enough for you to see his profile, the angle of his jaw, and the lines of concentration on his brow. Notice how the plaster captures light across his cheekbones, giving a gentle shadow that suggests depth in a flat medium.
Grattan was an Irish statesman famed for his speeches—he earned the nickname “the greatest of Irish orators.” He led the patriotic group that won legislative powers for Dublin and later sought Catholic MPs, though those plans were overtaken by more radical movements. After the 1800 Union he sat in Westminster to push for anti‑Catholic laws’ repeal.
This bust lets us see a key figure in early 19th‑century Irish politics—a man whose voice shaped the country’s path toward independence and reform.
See it in person
Henry Grattan 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.
