Thomas Lawrence was the leading portraitist of his generation, a self-taught artist whose immense talent saw him become Principal Painter to the King at the age of only 23, and later, in 1820, President of the Royal Academy. His technical flair and skill with both capturing a likeness and flattering his subjects made him a natural successor to George Romney and Joshua Reynolds, whose works are hung elsewhere in this room.

George Granville Leveson-Gower was the oldest son of Granville, 2nd Earl Gower and later 1st Marquis of Stafford, who commissioned Romney’s masterpiece, 'The Gower Family'. The 1st Duke of Sutherland is most remembered for being the instigator of the notorious highland clearances of the early nineteenth century.