Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 122d

Lord Eglinton and Winton, dressed as Lord of the Tournament

Oil Painting
ca. 1840 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
The Victorians frequently made commemorative oil paintings of significant people and events. This splendid portrait was probably commissioned by the knight shown in the picture, Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton and 1st Earl of Winton (1812-1861). He is dressed here as `Lord of the Tournament.'

Subjects Depicted
By the 1830s tales of romance and chivalry inspired an interest in the costume and events of the Middle Ages. This painting shows Lord Eglinton dressed in gold armour at the `Eglinton Tournament', which he hosted on his Scottish estate in 1839. Eglinton and his guests dressed themselves in Medieval-style costumes, and took part in processions and competitions. The Earl had been fired with enthusiasm for the Gothic revival by reading Sir Walter Scott's novels of chivalry. Unfortunately it rained heavily and continuously on the Knights and Peers of the Realm in full armour with fully dressed horses. What the picture also illustrates is an early Victorian reconstruction of what antiquarians believed a Medieval knight should look like.

People
Henry Corbould (1815-1905) was mainly known as a watercolourist; his subjects included literature, mainly Chaucer, Spenser and Shakespeare. Prince Albert appointed him `Instructor of Historical Painting' to the Royal Family in 1851.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLord Eglinton and Winton, dressed as Lord of the Tournament (generic title)
Materials and techniques
oil on panel
Brief description
Oil painted entitled 'A knight entering the lists at Eglinton Tournament' by Edward Henry Corbould. Great Britain, ca. 1840.
Physical description
Oil painted entitled 'A knight entering the lists at Eglinton Tournament' depicting a knight in armour on horseback, carrying a jousting weapon.
Dimensions
  • Height: 53.3cm
  • Width: 42.5cm
  • Framed height: 75cm
  • Framed width: 64cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 20/01/1999 by sf
Style
Gallery label
British Galleries: By the 1830s tales of romance and chivalry inspired an interest in the costume and events of the Middle Ages. This painting shows Lord Archibald Eglinton dressed in gold armour at the tournament which he hosted in 1839. Eglinton and his guests dressed themselves in Medieval-style costumes, and took part in processions and competitions.(27/03/2003)
Object history
Purchased, 1981. Painted in Britain by Edward Henry Corbould RI (born in London, 1815, died there in 1905)
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
The Victorians frequently made commemorative oil paintings of significant people and events. This splendid portrait was probably commissioned by the knight shown in the picture, Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton and 1st Earl of Winton (1812-1861). He is dressed here as `Lord of the Tournament.'

Subjects Depicted
By the 1830s tales of romance and chivalry inspired an interest in the costume and events of the Middle Ages. This painting shows Lord Eglinton dressed in gold armour at the `Eglinton Tournament', which he hosted on his Scottish estate in 1839. Eglinton and his guests dressed themselves in Medieval-style costumes, and took part in processions and competitions. The Earl had been fired with enthusiasm for the Gothic revival by reading Sir Walter Scott's novels of chivalry. Unfortunately it rained heavily and continuously on the Knights and Peers of the Realm in full armour with fully dressed horses. What the picture also illustrates is an early Victorian reconstruction of what antiquarians believed a Medieval knight should look like.

People
Henry Corbould (1815-1905) was mainly known as a watercolourist; his subjects included literature, mainly Chaucer, Spenser and Shakespeare. Prince Albert appointed him `Instructor of Historical Painting' to the Royal Family in 1851.
Bibliographic references
  • Parkinson, R., Victoria and Albert Museum, Catalogue of British Oil Paintings 1820-1860, London: HMSO, 1990, pp. 51-52
  • Courbould, E. H. The Tournament at Eglington Castle in 1840,
  • Anstruther. The Knight and the Umbrella: An Account of the Eglington Tournament, 1839, 1963
  • Van Dyck in Check Trousers Scottish National POrtrait Gallery, 1978, pp.10-114
  • 1839, a Gothic adventure Kilmarnock: The Dick Institute, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-9550546-4-8.
  • Banham, Joanna & Harris, Jennifer (eds.), William Morris and the Middle Ages : a collection of essays, together with a catalogue of works, Manchester : Manchester University Press, 1984 10
Collection
Accession number
P.5-1981

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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