Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby (1762-1847) - 4 Landscape Drawings
A very rare set of drawings by the prominent early 19th Century Tory MP, Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby.
Earl Harrowby was elected to his father's old Parliament seat of Tiverton in 1784, where he remained throughout his Commons career. William Pitt, the premier, became his friend and political patron and in 1790 Pitt appointed him Vice President of the Board of Trade, a post he held for eleven years. Ryder was in favour of abolition of the slave trade and of Catholic emancipation. On his father's death in 1803, he succeeded to the peerage, and in 1805 Pitt made him Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He resigned with his colleagues after Pitt's death and did not take office again until 1809, when he was appointed President of the Board of Control. He later served as Lord President of the Council between 1812 to 1827. [1]
Earl Harrowby was an accomplished amateur artist and had strong connections with the art world in London. He had has portrait painted by Thomas Phillips R.A. This set of four drawings was in Iolo Williams private collection. They are all inscribed and provide a fascinating insight to Earl Harrowby. Two are dated in 1816 and were drawn in the Council Chambers and another is dated 1815.
Medium: pen and ink on paper, inscribed as follows starting with drawing at top of mount: (1) 'Drawn by The Earl of Harrowby in his Council Chambers June 29th 1815'; (2) 'By Earl Harrowby June 27th 1816; (3) By the Earl of Harrowby in the Council Chambers June 20th 1816 WJ'; (4) inscription to the right of drawing by Iolo Williams (4) 'Lord Harrowby 30', largest drawing measures 13.8 x 21.3cm and smallest 8.5 x 10.5cm, mounted (59.4 x 32.4cm).
Provenance: Iolo Williams Collection.
Literature:
[1] National Portrait Gallery, Biography on Earl Harrowby.
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp02068/dudley-ryder-1st-earl-of-harrowby
Condition report: generally in good condition, time staining visible on each drawing. Each work is stuck on paper and has a black border, these have been kept as they were likely done by Earl Harrowby. There are creases from the sticking and a small rip on the laid paper in the top drawing. Please see photos.