Historic Duke of Wellington Portrait to Star at Christie's Classic Week

A portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Thomas Lawrence will be auctioned at Christie's Classic Week in London, possibly fetching up to $16 million. The half-length portrait, believed to be a personal commission, highlights the event alongside other historic and cultural items like works by Bernardo Bellotto and Emily Bronte’s first edition.

A portrait of the Duke of Wellington, painted by Thomas Lawrence, is set to feature prominently at Christie's Classic Week in London. Expected to fetch up to $16 million, the piece represents one of the eight portraits Lawrence crafted of the military figure and political leader.

According to Clementine Sinclair, head of the Old Masters paintings department at Christie's, the painting is executed in a half-length format, offering an intimate look at its subject. The painting may have been commissioned personally by the Duke or by his friends Harriet and Charles Arbuthnot, pointing to its unique historical value.

The auction highlights diverse items, including Bernardo Bellotto's work and a first edition of Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights.' The auction also features a highlight from the natural history department—the skull of an Ice Age sabre-toothed tiger, valued between £1 million and £1.5 million.