A PORTRAIT OF LORD BYRON England, 19th century, after Richard Westall (British, 1766-1836) Oil on canvas 21cm x 18cm The present portrait of Lord Byron is after the portrait by Richard Westall painted in 1813 in the National Portrait Gallery London. Westall was employed by Byron's publisher, John Murray to illustrate Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. On 21st April 1813 Byron wrote to Murray that, I shall be in town on Sunday next & will all & have some conversation on the subject of Westall's proposed designs. - I am to sit to him for a picture at the request of a friend of mine. Byron is presented as a dashing and romantic figure. It is believed that the friend who commissioned it was probably the radical MP Sir Francis Burdett.