Portrait of Lord Viscount Sydney

As he portrayed virtually all the notable men and women of the Federal period in the United States, Gilbert Stuart was declared the ‘Father of American Portraiture’ by his contemporaries. Born in Rhode Island, the artist trained and worked in London and Dublin from 1775 to 1793. He then returned to America with the specific intention of painting President Washington’s portrait. (National Gallery of Art, USA).

Viscount Sydney, a strong supporter of Young and Matra in their plans for the colonisation of the east coast of Australia, was Secretary for the Home Department when the decision was finally made to colonise New South Wales, and he was the first to announce (in August 1786) George III’s decision to send out the First Fleet. When Phillip finally decided to establish the settlement at Port Jackson, rather than Botany Bay, he paid the Home Secretary the compliment of naming Sydney after him.