This fine oil painting bears on the verso an old printed label stating ‘John Trumbull, President, Academy of Arts B. 1756. D. 1843’. As it bears no apparent likeliness to John Trumbull (1756-1843) it begs the question whether he might be the artist of this unsigned painting. The portrait is depicted with what looks like an arch in the background, identical to that found in Trumbull’s portrait of Edward Livingston, 1805, the Mayor of New York, founder and first President of the Academy of Fine Arts.

The painting was acquired in the auction of the contents of Lilburn Hall, Northumberland, which took place from April 1975 following its sale to Duncan Davidson in 1972. The property was owned by Sir Edward Foyle Collingwood (1900-70), mathematician, whose great grandfather was the brother of Admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood (1750-1810). Edward Collingwood died without issue and the estate was acquired in 1972 by Duncan Davidson. Sir Edward Collingwood’s niece, Mrs Susan Collingwood-Cameron survives and lives locally. She reported to us that it had been in their family for over a century and the painting was always believed to be by John Trumbull.

The Collingwood’s are an old Northumberland family. The grounds were originally owned by Thomas Clennel in the eighteenth century before it passed to his nephew Henry Collingwood in 1793. It then passed to Henry John William Collingwood of Cornhill, London, in the 1820s. He began construction of an imposing Elizabethan style mansion designed by architect John Dobson to be known as Lilburn Tower. Finished in 1842 it cost £25,000 to construct.

So what might be the famous American artist’s connection with Northumberland, England? On 15 December 1808 Trumbull sailed for England for the fourth time and remained 7 years. Whilst there his son John Ray began causing him concern and he and Sarah placed him in apprenticeship for two years with a farmer in Northumberland paying £120 for his keep. It is highly likely that he either had connections in the county or made them in due course and this painting was made accordingly. Jaffe, Irma. (1975) ‘John Trumbull’. Boston: New York Graphic Society. pp. 209, 222-4; Mathematics Genealogy Project (Collingwood family history).