Portrait of William IV (Archer Shee)

Portrait of William IV is an portrait painting of 1833 by the Irish artist Sir Martin Archer Shee depicting William IV.^[1][2]

Portrait of William IV
Artist	Martin Archer Shee
Year	1833
Type	Oil on canvas, portrait
Dimensions	270.3 cm × 179 cm (106.4 in × 70 in)
Location	Royal Collection, Windsor Castle

Shee had succeeded his fellow portrait painter Thomas Lawrence as President of the Royal Academy in 1830. He had painted William a number of times over the decades, most notably in his 1800 Portrait of the Duke of Clarence at a time when William as third son of his father George III was considered unlikely to succeed to the throne. Following the death of his elder brother George IV William became king in 1830, reigning for seven years. He was himself succeeded by his eighteen-year-old niece Queen Victoria in 1837.

The portrait shows William IV in his robes as a member of the Order of the Garter, with Windsor Castle in the background. His hand rests on the hilt of a sword with the St Edward's Crown and sceptre on a cushion. Originally the King intended to send the painting to the Anglo-Irish politician Richard, Marquess Wellesley, who was then serving as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Impressed by it, he chose instead to keep it to hang in the Throne Room at Windsor Castle. It remains in the Royal Collection today.^[3]

See also

• Portrait of William IV, a portrait of 1832 by the Scottish artist David Wilkie hanging in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle
• Portrait of Queen Adelaide, an 1836 portrait of his the king's wife by Archer Shee