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49 artworks by 32 artists

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Within the historic walls of the Mansion House and Guildhall are kept important works connected with the City of York’s long and illustrious history. The portraits in particular capture the pride of the people who ran and influenced the city. It is a collection that has grown gradually over the years and reflects the changing styles of portraiture from the formal to romantic. The majority of the Collection focuses on portraits of the Lord Mayors and Sheriffs of the City, many of whom were nationally and internationally famous such as John Carr the eighteenth-century architect, George Hudson the 'Railway King' and Lord Mayor Sir Joseph Terry, the chocolate manufacturer. These great portraits sit alongside those of Princes of the realm and more modern portraits of the Lord Mayors. Among the artists who have painted these works are Sir Joshua Reynolds, Joseph and Anthony Highmore and Francis Grant, RA, as well as Local artists such as Henry Cave.