George IV (1762-1830), eldest son of George III and Queen Charlotte, became regent in 1811 when his father was declared insane. Following the death of the king in 1820, he succeeded to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. A large number of replicas, variants, and copies of this imposing portrait were produced by Lawrence and his studio for assorted official residences. Studio assistants often painted such areas as the drapery and background. Although undated, the elaborate regalia and the imperial crown visible on the table suggest that the portrait was painted after George IV became sovereign. Upon the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1792, Lawrence succeeded him as Painter in Ordinary to George III. His style derives mainly from Reynolds, whose Grand Manner mode was marked by sumptuous color and imposing compositions, and Lawrence’s international reputation rests on the grand, romantic images he painted of royalty and of various members of the English aristocracy. The conservation of the frame for this painting was made possible by a grant from The Richard C. von Hess Foundation.