Photo credit: The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh
A portrait of an unidentified officer of the 24th Regiment of Foot
George Chalmers
- Art Funded
- 2019
- Vendor
- Christopher Foley FSA
Sir George Chalmers painted this portrait of a military officer of the 24th Regiment of Foot during a visit to Menorca in the 1750s.
The island was an important British garrison at the time, with about 2,500 soldiers from five regiments stationed there.
The identity of the sitter is not known, but the portrait remains of great regimental significance, particularly in showing details of the uniform worn by officers of the period. In addition to his uniform, the sitter is shown wearing a medallion that identifies him as a member of The Loyal and Friendly Society of the Blew and Orange, an organisation formed of fiercely loyal supporters of the Protestant succession.
The portrait now enters the collection of the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh, which exists to tell the story of the regiment and its antecedents, which date back to 1689.
Provenance
By descent to an Anglo-Italian family in Tuscany until acquired by gift by the present owner circa 1980