Lot 30: ARTHUR WILLIAM DEVIS (1762-1822)

PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN THOMAS DAVID LAMB, M.P. (1775-1818), OF MOUNTSFIELD LODGE, RYE, HALF-LENGTH, IN THE UNIFORM OF THE CINQUE PORTS FENCIBLE CAVALRY OIL ON CANVAS 301/4 X 25 IN. (77 X 63.5 CM.) PROVENANCE BY INHERITANCE IN THE FAMILY OF THE SITTER UNTIL 1999. LITERATURE COL. E. FAZAN, CINQUE PORTS BATTALION, 1971, ILLUSTRATED. NOTES THE SITTER'S FATHER WAS THE GOVERNMENT MANAGER AT RYE AND A FRIEND OF CHARLES JENKINSON, 1ST EARL OF LIVERPOOL. THE SITTER WENT TO CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD, AT THE SAME TIME AS ROBERT BANKES JENKINSON, LATER 2ND EARL OF LIVERPOOL, AND PRIME MINISTER. HE TOOK TWO COMMISSIONS IN THE CINQUE PORTS FENCIBLE CAVALRY WHICH WAS COMMANDED BY ROBERT BANKES JENKINSON, AND IN THIS PORTRAIT IS SHOWN AS A LIEUTENANT-CAPTAIN OF THAT MILITIA. IT IS THE ONLY KNOWN REPRESENTATION OF AN OFFICER OF THIS CORPS. LAMB BECAME JENKINSON'S PRIVATE SECRETARY IN 1801, WAS ELECTED MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR RYE IN 1803, AND WAS LATER MAYOR OF RYE IN 1810. A PORTRAIT OF HIS GRANDFATHER, THOMAS LAMB (1719-1804), BY ALLAN RAMSAY IS IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND (NG 2545) AND HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH LORD HAWKESBURY IS IN THE BRITISH LIBRARY. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO PETER WALTON FOR HIS ASSISTANCE IN THE CATALOGUING OF THIS LOT.