Foster 869

Portrait of Francis Andrews Daniell (1774-1850), 1801.

Three-quarter length seated, looking to right, wearing a dark blue uniform coat and white breeches. The ‘tarleton’ helmet on the table at his side has a black bearskin and red plume, with a leopardskin turban held in place with silver chains. The silver strip above the peak is inscribed ‘Calcutta’. An army encampment beyond.

Oil on canvas.97.5 by 77 cms.

Purchased November 1992.

Francis Andrews Daniell was the second son of the Revd. Averell Daniell of Lifford, County Derry. He entered the 4th Madras Cavalry as a cadet in 1792, was promoted to Cornet in 1793, Lieutenant in 1799, Captain in 1803, Major in 1805 and Lieut.-Colonel in 1812. He retired in 1820 and died in London in 1850. Daniell was present at the taking of Pondicherry and the capture of Seringapatam, for which he received a medal.

In the early years of the 19th century the Madras Cavalry was considered superior to the Bengal Cavalry and Daniell accompanied Captain Montgomery to Bengal on the appointment of the latter in 1800 as Commandant of the Governor-General’s Body Guard. He was appointed Adjutant and Quartermaster of the Body Guard in April 1800, and took over as Commandant from September 1802 to February 1806, following Montgomery’s resignation. Daniell was appointed Regulating Officer of the Calcutta Militia Cavalry in addition to his other duties in February 1801 and was on tour with the Governor-General from September to December 1801. The portrait, recorded in Home's sitter-book for this year, probably celebrates his appointment to the Militia. An uncoloured engraving, published in the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’ in June 1802, shows a mounted officer of the Calcutta Militia Cavalry wearing a Light Dragoon style uniform, including the ‘tarleton’ helmet.

The portrait was in the collection of Sir Charles D’Oyly of Dorsetshire in the 19th century, where it was taken to be a portrait of Sir Charles D’Oyly, the seventh baronet, in the uniform of the Calcutta Militia, and it was sold with this identification in 1992. There is however no record of a portrait by Home of D’Oyly in his sitters’ book in the NPG Archives.