Portrait of Alexander Baring, first Baron Ashburton

This portrait of Lord Ashburton, which was done in 1843, is a replica of one which he painted from life in 1842 and which is now owned by the New-York Historical Society. It is a companion portrait to the one of Daniel Webster (81.86). This portrait was purchased from Mrs. Caroline LeRoy Webster by the congressional Joint Committee on the Library of Congress in 1879 out of an appropriation for "Works of Art for the Capitol." On December 30, 1879, Senator Daniel W. Voorhees, on behalf of the Joint Committee, requested the Department of State to place these portraits in its diplomatic reception room, and on January 5, 1880, the Department replied that it would be pleased to do so. (Source: Secretaries of State, Portraits & Biographical Sketches, 1978)