Sir Thomas Lawrence C1812

James Watt (1736-1819) was one of the most influential engineers and inventors in British history. He is best known for his development of the steam engine, and his successful partnership with Matthew Boulton had a huge impact on the course of the industrial revolution.

Watt was famous in his own lifetime, and this led to his sitting for a number of portraits in his later years. Sir Thomas Lawrence was the most significant artist to undertake this task, and his skilful rendering of Watt captures both the penetrating intellect and the melancholy character of the great engineer.

The Lawrence portrait was commissioned by Watt’s son, James Watt Junior, who lived at Aston Hall in Birmingham. He had never liked Sir William Beechey’s 1801 portrait of his father. Beechey, however, was a family friend, and in order not to offend him Watt Junior pretended that the new portrait was for his own friend George Lee!

One other interesting feature of the portrait is that x-ray analysis reveals an image of a steam engine on the book to Watt’s right which was overpainted at a later date. It is not known why this feature was painted out, but it may have been a result of Watt’s own intervention.

Purchased with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund and and the Friends of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery