ARTHUR WILLIAM DEVIS (BRITISH 1763-1822), PORTRAIT OF CHARLOTTE SHORE (NÉE CORNISH), LADY

ARTHUR WILLIAM DEVIS (BRITISH 1763-1822)PORTRAIT OF CHARLOTTE SHORE (NÉE CORNISH), LADY TEIGNMOUTHOil on canvas, framed oval66.5 x 52cm (26 x 20¼in.)Presented in its original 18th century frameProvenance:Commissioned by John Shore, 1st Baron TeignmouthThe collection of Lord Teignmouth, Mount Elton, Clevedon, SomersetThence by descent to the present ownerExhibited:Preston, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, ArthurWilliam Devis, 1762–1822, 2000Literature:S. H. Paviere, The Devis Family of Painters, Leigh-on-Sea, 1950, p. 135, no. 147Charlotte Cornish was born in 1759 and was the daughter ofJames Cornish and Margaret Floyer. She married John Shore, 1st Baron Teignmouth(1762-1834), the son of Thomas Shore and Dorothy Shepherd, in 1786, and together they had seven children. She died inLondon in 1834.John Shore was created 1st Baron Teignmouth in 1798 inrecognition of his distinguished service as Governor-General of Bengal from 1793to 1798. He was educated at Harrow and like many young men of this period travelledto India. In 1768 he arrived in Calcutta as a writer for the East India Company.He rose steadily through the service and by 1780 had gained the confidence ofWarren Hastings, 1st Governor-General of Bengal. They travelled backto England together in 1785 and Shore married Charlotte the following year. Hereturned to India but was back in England for Hastings's trial for mismanagementand personal corruption. He succeeded Charles Cornwallis as 3rdGovernor-General and his tenure was marked by quiet stability after theupheavals of the previous administrations.Arthur William Devis inherited his talent from his father,the portrait painter Arthur Devis (1712-1787). He led an adventurous life andin 1782 was appointed `Draftsman by a private committee of the East IndiaCompany to pursue a voyage around the world' aboard the Antelope. Devisreached Calcutta in 1785, hoping to make his fortune as a portrait painter.Handsome, charming and generous, he plunged into the extravagant, febrile worldof Calcutta society, where East India Company officials lived with all theelegance of Europe and the glamour of the East. One of Devis's first sitterswas the Governor-General of Bengal, and John Shore’s mentor, Warren Hastings. Hecontinued to build up his reputation as a portrait painter, often executingcommissions for families with connections to India.The Shore family commissioned seven portraits from ArthurWilliam Devis (Paviere nos.140-142 and 147-149). This portrait of LadyTeignmouth forms part of this important group of family portraits and hasremained associated with the Teignmouth family ever since. Notably,expressive brushstrokes of various colours are present beyond the painted oval,which provide a charming insight into Devis’ palette and his working methods.