CHATSWORTH SUMMER FINE ART SALE 18th & 19th June 2025

95 Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 “Portrait of Sir John Newport, 1st Bt, c. 1828,”O.O.C., approx. 127cms x 100cms. (1) Provenance: Sothebys’ 26th November, 1975 (Lot. No. 58) Painted by James Ramsay and dating from around 1828, this canvas depicts the politician Sir John Newport (1756-1843) seated in a mahogany Regency chair, beside a desk. In the background can be seen the base of a large architectural column, and a draped curtain. AWhig MP, John Newport was one of the leading politicians of his day. A supporter of Catholic Emancipation, he represented Ireland at the parliament in Westminster. In 1806 Newport was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Although he supported Catholic Emancipation, he was less keen to provide relief to Irish Catholics, a stance which resulted in his resignation from the government of Lord Liverpool. In 1828, a mezzotint of the portrait, engraved by Thomas Goff Lupton, was published by Colnaghi, Son & Co. The mezzotint is a faithful representation of Ramsay’s original, including chair, curtain, and details such as the inkwells and quill pen on the desk. However the images differ in one significant detail: In the mezzotint, in his right hand Newport holds a document inscribed, ‘Ireland 1800 Corn Intercourse Act’, this likely refers to the American Trade Act of 1800, legislation described as facilitating ‘Trade and Intercourse between this Kingdom and the United States of America’. However, the inscription is not visible in the painting, and so was either added to the mezzotint at the request of Newport, or else was in the original painting, and was gradually deleted by cleaning over the years. Newport was also depicted, around 1826, in a portrait by Stephen Catterson Smith; a work which formed the basis of several engraved prints, again highlighting his popularity as a politician. Born in Sheffield, the portrait painter James Ramsay was the son of a carver and gilder who later became a print dealer. Although he initially worked for his father’s business, Ramsay also began to paint portraits and miniatures, and from the age of seventeen was exhibiting his own work. In 1803, he moved to London, where he submitted two works to that year’s Royal Academy exhibition. Two years later he enrolled at the RA Schools, that same year exhibiting a portrait of Henry Grattan. This was later engraved by Charles Turner, while a copy of the original, by Thomas Alfred Jones, is in the National Gallery of Ireland. Establishing himself as a portraitist in London, Ramsay exhibited portraits, landscapes and biblical subjects at the Royal Academy, the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. In 1848, he moved to Newcastle-upon- Tyne, while continuing to exhibit at the Royal Academy. He died in Newcastle, in June 1854. Dr. Peter Murray 2025 €2000 - €3000 797. James Ramsay (1786 - 1854)