Who painted Colonel St. Leger?

Colonel St. Leger was painted by Gainsborough Dupont in 1783.

Where can I see Colonel St. Leger?

Colonel St. Leger is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Colonel St. Leger?

Colonel St. Leger is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Colonel St. Leger

Gainsborough Dupont , 1783

Colonel St. Leger is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Gainsborough Dupont. It dates from 1783 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The horse, dark brown with a white mane, is equipped with a bridle and saddle, set against a modestly detailed landscape of trees and shrubbery.

Gainsborough Dupont’s 1783 mezzotint, titled Colonel St. Leger, presents a seated officer beside his horse. Rendered on laid paper, the image captures the figure in a dark military coat with gold buttons, a white sash, and a sword in his right hand, while his left hand rests on the animal’s back. The horse, dark brown with a white mane, is equipped with a bridle and saddle, set against a modestly detailed landscape of trees and shrubbery.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays a senior cavalry officer, identified by his uniform and accoutrements, suggesting rank and the social standing associated with military service in late‑18th‑century Britain. By positioning the colonel beside his mount, Dupont emphasizes the bond between rider and horse, a common visual shorthand for authority, mobility, and the gentlemanly ideals of the period.

Technique & Style

Executed in mezzotint, the print utilizes the tonal richness of the method, allowing subtle gradations of light and shadow on the laid paper. Dupont’s handling of the medium reflects the era’s preference for portraiture that balances realistic detail—particularly in the officer’s attire and the horse’s tack—with a smooth, almost painterly surface typical of British prints of the 1780s.

History & Provenance

The mezzotint was produced by Gainsborough Dupont, nephew and apprentice of the celebrated portraitist Thomas Gainsborough. Trained under his uncle, Dupont developed an independent practice, and this print exemplifies his capacity to reproduce portraiture for a wider audience. The image has remained within collections that document British printmaking, illustrating the diffusion of elite portraiture beyond original oil paintings.