print
- Museum number
- 1859,0312.49
- Title
- Object: G. Perry
- Description
-
Portrait of George Frederick Perry, half-length sitting in armchair to right, scroll of music in his left hand; after Sluce. 1837
Engraving on chine collé
- Production date
- 1837
- Dimensions
-
Height: 281 millimetres
-
Width: 204 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- Michael Loughlin (email Jan 2024): George Frederick Perry was my great-great-great grandfather. He was considered an eminent musician between around 1820 and the late 1840s. His oratorios, The Death of Abel (c.1818-1819), The Fall of Jerusalem (c. 1824) were popular at the time and received several performances in Norwich and London. There were other oratorios, several songs (many held by the British Library) and piano works. I have in my possession John Alexander Sluce’s portrait of Perry, handed down through my family. This was painted by 1837, as this is the date given for Romney’s engraving.
George worked as leader of the orchestra and sometime conductor at the Sacred Harmonic Society from 1832 to 1848. In 1847 he was the orchestra leader when Mendelssohn conducted his revised version of his oratorio Elijah.
The Royal College of Music now has the extensive library of the Sacred Harmonic Society, including some programmes of concerts of George’s oratorios, especially The Fall of Jerusalem.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1859
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1859,0312.49