Lord George Anson (1697-1762), 18th century (oil on canvas)

Creator: British School Although this has been described as a doubtful portrait of Anson (Kerslake, J, 'Early Georgian Portraits', HMSO: London, 1977, p. 7), there may be reasons for supposing that it may be him: (1) on the grounds of likeness by comparison with portraits by Reynolds, Johnson and Bockman and (2) the inclusion in the left background of the first Battle of Finisterre, 1747. The sitter looks far more like Anson than the officer shown in the other three-quarter length portrait (BHC2517) also regarded by Kerslake as doubtful. The sitter is not wearing the official naval uniform which was introduced in 1748 while Anson was in the Admiralty. He wears a breast plate with tasses, a blue coat frogged with gold, a red sash, and a grey-bottomed wig. On his right there is a black servant. The painting is almost certainly not by Highmore, and has previously been described as French School.