Portrait of Horatio Nelson by Leonardo Guzzardi

Nelson died in the course of his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805, after a career in the British Navy during which he had become noted for his inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which together resulted in a number of decisive British naval victories, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.

This portrait of Nelson by Leonardo Guzzardi, painted in 1799, was brought to us for treatment by Philip Mould, who had just rediscovered it. It had last been seen in 1897. The portrait is noteworthy because it shows the scar on Nelson's forehead and his missing eyebrow (injuries sustained at the decisive Battle of the Nile in 1798 which Nelson won against the French), whereas most artists chose to paint more flattering portraits glossing over these wounds. When the painting arrived at the studio, the scars were concealed with overpaint, having been painted over at some point in the painting’s history. The artist’s truthfulness to his sitter’s appearance was revealed during the course of the treatment at the studio when our team of conservators removed the later overpaint. It was a very moving process for the team. Philip said that "Seeing the scar emerge was a remarkable moment - Nelson the human replaced the more heroic projection. It was not uncommon for unsophisticated restorers in the last century to believe they were 'improving' original works with their own paintbrush, only to disguise their authenticity and distinction in the process.”