Portrait of C.R. Leslie, R.A., 1848

A.E. Chalon RA (1781 - 1860)

RA Collection: Art

This portrait of the painter and historian of British art, C. R. Leslie (1794-1859), is of particular interest because of the sitter’s close friendship with the artist, which he described in his Autobiographical Recollections (1860) as one of the happiest aspects of his life. A sense of camaraderie between Chalon and Leslie pervades the image. However, as the level of finish suggests, this watercolour was not produced during a moment of leisure but as a commission from Leslie's patron, John Gibbon.