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Portrait of Sir John Moore by Thomas Lawrence

Item details: Oil on linen portrait of Sir John Moore (1761-1809) by Thomas Lawrence. H 74.5 x W 62 cm.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Moore began his military career at the age of 15 when he joined the British Army as an ensign. He quickly distinguished himself in campaigns in Corsica, the West Indies, and Egypt, rising through the ranks.

Moore is particularly noted for his reforms in light infantry training, which emphasised mobility, marksmanship, and initiative—qualities that have defined the development of rifle regiments, and their role in skirmishes and irregular warfare, as well as wider Army tactics. For this reason, he is often known as “the father of the modern British Army”.

During the Peninsular War, Moore was appointed to lead the British forces in Spain against Napoleon’s advancing troops. After an arduous retreat through northern Spain, Moore made a stand at Corunna in January 1809 to allow his troops to evacuate to England. Though he successfully delayed the French and facilitated the retreat, Moore was mortally wounded in the battle and died shortly afterward.

This portrait of Sir John Moore was painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), a leading British portrait painter of the early 19th century. After his heroic stand at Corunna, Moore became a popular hero in Britain, and his image was widely circulated. A later version of this portrait was made an engraving by Charles Turner.

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