Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey by George Dawe

George Dawe (1781-1829) was an English portrait painter, best known for his portraits of Russian generals during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in Kent, England, and trained at the Royal Academy Schools in London. Dawe gained recognition for his ability to capture the likeness and character of his sitters, and was particularly sought after by Russian patrons. In 1819 Dawe was invited by Tsar Alexander I to St Petersburg, Russia, to work on a series of portraits for the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace. Over the course of about a decade, Dawe painted over 300 portraits of Russian generals who had distinguished themselves in the Napoleonic Wars. These portraits, known as the 'Dawe portraits', are notable for their detailed depictions of military uniforms and the personalities of the sitters. Despite his success in Russia, Dawe's health began to fail and he returned to England in 1828. He died the following year in Kent.