R. L. Alldridge, A Public Letter Writer in Rome

The picture is signed ‘R. L. Alldridge’. Richard L. Alldridge was a London portrait and figure painter, active from 1866 to 1887, who showed six works at the Royal Academy. Queen Victoria bought his portrait of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, which remains in the Royal Collection.

An elderly scribe sits at a small three-legged table in the street, quill in hand and a small cigar in his mouth. Public scribes like him wrote letters for those who could not. He wears a tall grey hat, a long dark coat, a red waistcoat, knee breeches and buckled shoes. ‘S.P.Q.R.’, the motto of Rome, and Italian notices are lettered on the wall behind him, and a terrier lies at his feet.

Oil on canvas, signed lower left ‘R. L. Alldridge’. Lettered on the painted wall ‘S.P.Q.R.’, ‘Istruzione Pubbli[ca]’ and ‘Avviso’. Some surface scratches and small losses. In a gilt frame with a decorated inner slip.