Portrait of Lieutenant Francis Scrimes Pilcher (c.1783-1838) of the 1st Regiment of Life Guardsoil on canvas76.5 x 63.5cmtogether with his commission to be a Cornet in the 24th Light Dragoons, dated 23rd January 1812, and his commission to the position of Barrack Master, dated 26th May 1827, signed by the 1st Marquess of Anglesey (3)Provenance:By descent from the sitter, great-great-great-great grandfather of the present ownerFrancis Scrimes Pilcher of Cobham, Kent exchanged into the 1st Life Guards from the 24th Light Dragoons on 12th March 1812. He fought in the Peninsular wars, at Vitoria (2013) and Toulouse (1814) and was promoted to Lieutenant on 3rd April 1815. He went onto half-pay on 13th December 1821. In 1827, he was appointed Barrack Master. Pilcher married on 5th October 1801 Ann, daughter of Revered Thomas Hole of Georgeham, Devon. We are grateful to Christopher Bryant for his assistance with this catalogue entry.The painting is executed in oil on a canvas support which has been lined. The canvas is in plane with good tension. There are a few localised areas damage to the paint layer. In areas the age cracking is slightly raised and there are scattered losses. Areas of overpaint are present around the damages and in the dark paint of the horse. Some of the textural variation in the paint is due to drying defects. The varnish is very darkened and discoloured. It no longer saturates the paint layers below, leaving a matte surface.