About this lot
Description
Anglo-Irish School, circa 1800
Portrait of a gentleman reading, believed to be Thomas Henry Sheridan (1786-1812) known as 'Persian Tom'
oil on canvas
25.5 x 20cm
Thomas Henry Sheridan was the younger son of Charles Francis Sheridan (1750-1806) and Letitia Christiana, daughter of Theophilus Bolton of Dublin. His father was a barrister and successful Irish politician, serving as Under-Secretary of War for Ireland, whilst his uncle was the famous playwright and theatrical manager, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816). Through his cousin, he was also related to the Irish journalist and novelist, Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) best known today as the father of the Victorian Irish ghost story.
Sheridan served as a political assistant to Sir Harford Jones (1764-1847) HM Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Persia, during his mission to Tehran in 1808-09. They sailed out of Bombay harbour for Persia on 12th September 1808 (see Sir Harford Jones Brydges, Bt., An Account of the Transactions of His Majesty's Mission to the Court of Persia: In the Years 1807-1811, 1834, p. 19). During his time in Persia, Sheridan kept a journal recording important events, such as the audience given to Sir Harford Jones by Fath-Ali, the Shah of Persia (1769-1834). Sir Harford Jones’ own account of his mission, published in 1834 is itself heavily dependent on Sheridan’s journal. Sheridan was subsequently posted to Tabriz as a public secretary to the British mission. A collection of letters pertaining to this posting is now in the British Library.
Sheridan died unmarried in Shiraz on 6th September 1812 and was buried in the Armenian church of St Mary (see Denis Wright, ‘Burials and Memorials of the British in Persia’, in Iran, 1998, vol. 36, pp. 165-173, p. 168). In his will drawn up before his final journey to Bombay, now in the National Archives, his main concern before his death was to provide for his female relatives. In the notice of his premature death published the following year, he is said to have been “the flower of all the Sheridan family” and that “the wish nearest to his heart was, to make his mother and his sisters comfortable, and to place them in a state of independence” (see The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Chronicle from July to December 1813, vol. LXXXIII, part II, p. 234).
Framed 38 x 33cm
The painting is executed in oil on a linen canvas support which has been lined. Stretcher bar marks are evident in the paint layers as a rectangle around the sitter’s face from a previous, larger stretcher. The thin paint layers are stable and secure but are slightly worn in some areas. Overpaint has been applied to reinforce the composition and is well matched to the original. The varnish is clear, even and semi-glossy.
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