Cheffins
Lot 137
Circle of George Dawe, RA (British, 1781-1829)Portrait of Lt Col Sir Thomas Noel Hill, KCB, KTS (1784-1832) inscribed to the reverse 'Lieut. Col. Sir Tho Noel Hill / KCB [K]TS MJ A? Gen. / 815 ' oil on canvas, unframed 76.5 x 63.5cmFootnote: Born at Hawkstone Hall, Shropshire, the sitter was the 7th son of Sir John Hill, 3rd Bt (1740-1824) and younger brother of Rowland Hill, later 1st Viscount Hill (1772-1842) who succeeded the Duke of Wellington as the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1828. Sir Thomas, like his elder brother Rowland, distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and fought in the Battle of Waterloo. He entered the army at the age of seventeen and went on to serve as an aide-de-camp to his brother Rowland, accompanying him to Portugal in 1808. He commanded the 1st Portuguese Regiment and received medals for his involvement in the battles of Salamanca (1812), Vittoria (1813) and the siege of San Sebástian (1813). He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the 1st Foot Guards in July 1814. In 1815, at the Battle of Waterloo, he served as an Assistant Adjutant-General under the command of his brother, Lord Hill. In 1825, he was promoted to Colonel and in 1827 he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant-General in Canada by the Duke of Wellington. He married, on 27th July 1821, Anna Maria Shore, daughter of John Shore, 1st Baron Teignmouth, by whom he had six surviving children. In the present portrait, Sir Thomas is depicted in his Portuguese uniform, wearing numerous decorations and medals, including the Portuguese Order of The Tower and Sword (KTS), the Order of the Bath (KCB) which he was awarded in January 1815, the Waterloo Medal, Portuguese Campaign Cross, Portuguese Commander’s Cross, and the Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph. We are grateful to Christopher Bryant for his assistance in identifying the sitter's uniform and decorations. CONDITIONOil on canvas which has been lined. The lining fabric is thin and transparent and the adhesive used waxy – this allows the original inscription and canvas tax stamp to be visible. The paint layer is in a stable condition overall. Wax appears to have been used in the varnish as well as the lining. Along the right hand edge white cracks have formed in the varnish. There is a light film across the surface, also caused by the varnish, creating a slightly milky appearance to the darker paint passages. Areas of overpaint are fairly well matched to the original.
