DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1041#0256
xgx History of the Society of Dilettanti
Portrait of °n MaY i, 18 31, it was resolved
* That Sir Martin Archer Shee, Pres. R.A., be commanded by
the Society to paint the Portrait of Mr. Morritt, Arch-Master of
the Ceremonies to this Society, in the long crimson taffety-
tasselled robe of that great and most respectable officer, and that
a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Secretary to
Sir M. A. Shee for his information and guidance.'
Sir Martin Shee faithfully obeyed these instruc-
tions, and completed the portrait, a very fine and
characteristic one, in 1832. The Society had in-
tended to defray the cost of the portrait, for which
Sir M. A. Shee at first declined payment, out of the
General Fund; but Mr. Morritt himself insisted
upon paying the painter, in which the Society, not
choosing to decline his generosity, somewhat re-
luctantly acquiesced. It was ordered that the
portrait of Mr. Morritt should be engraved in
mezzotint, but this order was never carried out, and
the picture, which is one of the finest Shee ever
painted, is reproduced for the first time in the present
volume (p. 146).
inquiries In 1839 the state of the two groups by Sir
into state of Joshua Reynolds again called for attention, and
pictures. jn consequence of the report of Sir M. A. Shee,
the Society decided in February, 1840, to place
them in the hands of Mr. Seguier, the picture-
restorer then most in vogue, for repair. They
remained in Mr. Seguier's custody during 1841 and
1842, while the quarters of the Society were trans-
ferred to the premises occupied by the Albion
Club, and were returned in February, 1842. In
May, 18 jo, the state of one of the aforesaid groups
again gave cause for anxiety, and it was decided
in February, i8j-i, that the two pictures should
be protected by plate glass.
Portrait of °n MaY i, 18 31, it was resolved
* That Sir Martin Archer Shee, Pres. R.A., be commanded by
the Society to paint the Portrait of Mr. Morritt, Arch-Master of
the Ceremonies to this Society, in the long crimson taffety-
tasselled robe of that great and most respectable officer, and that
a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Secretary to
Sir M. A. Shee for his information and guidance.'
Sir Martin Shee faithfully obeyed these instruc-
tions, and completed the portrait, a very fine and
characteristic one, in 1832. The Society had in-
tended to defray the cost of the portrait, for which
Sir M. A. Shee at first declined payment, out of the
General Fund; but Mr. Morritt himself insisted
upon paying the painter, in which the Society, not
choosing to decline his generosity, somewhat re-
luctantly acquiesced. It was ordered that the
portrait of Mr. Morritt should be engraved in
mezzotint, but this order was never carried out, and
the picture, which is one of the finest Shee ever
painted, is reproduced for the first time in the present
volume (p. 146).
inquiries In 1839 the state of the two groups by Sir
into state of Joshua Reynolds again called for attention, and
pictures. jn consequence of the report of Sir M. A. Shee,
the Society decided in February, 1840, to place
them in the hands of Mr. Seguier, the picture-
restorer then most in vogue, for repair. They
remained in Mr. Seguier's custody during 1841 and
1842, while the quarters of the Society were trans-
ferred to the premises occupied by the Albion
Club, and were returned in February, 1842. In
May, 18 jo, the state of one of the aforesaid groups
again gave cause for anxiety, and it was decided
in February, i8j-i, that the two pictures should
be protected by plate glass.