Wellington Portrayed

Arguably one of the greatest military commanders in history, Arthur Wellesley, first duke of Wellington (1769-1852), is best known for winning the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke was so widely admired that he became one of the most portrayed people in all of European history--the National Portrait Gallery alone holds 339 images of Wellington.

Wellington Portrayed is an extended and up- to-date color version of The Iconography of the 1st Duke of Wellington, first published in 1935. It is the gold-standard reference for anyone studying paintings or sculptures of the Duke and is the only book on Wellington authorized by his heirs. Since the 1930s, many new images have been found and a considerable amount of new information has come to light, and Wellington Portrayed makes use of these findings and images.

The book opens with an essay by David Cannadine on the historical background of the Duke. Also included is an extensively-illustrated narrative of Wellington's life by Charles Wellesley, Marquess of Douro and the great-great-great-grandson of the Duke, which explains the Duke's attitude towards sitting for portraits. There are biographical and contextual notes on the painters, sculptors, and caricaturists who captured Duke's distinctive face and features. The book's centerpiece is a complete illustrated catalog of every known portrait of the 1st Duke of Wellington.

With over two hundred color reproductions of the portraits, busts, miniatures, engravings, and caricatures, and appendices including Wellington's collection of medals and decorations, Wellington portrayed makes the perfect gift for fans of the military history and the history of portraiture.

Charles Wellesley, Marquess of Douro, heir to the 8th Duke of Wellington, has spent his whole life surrounded by images of the first Duke of Wellington at Apsley House in London and Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire.