The Supreme Court is the home for the Middlesex Guildhall Art Collection, a unique collection of portraits commemorating a number of former Lord Lieutenants, judges and Magistrates. Key works include the 1st Duke of Northumberland, painted by both Gainsborough and Reynolds, the latter in a Chippendale frame. A popular portrait is that of Sir John Fielding (1721–1780), a magistrate and social reformer, whose view that crime could be prevented by efficient detective work was incorporated into police practice. He lost his sight in 1740 was known as the ‘Blind Beak’. Allegedly, he could recognise up to 3,000 London criminals by the sound of their voices.