Lot 53: John Smart , 1742-1811 Portrait of James Taylor

wearing a dark brown coat, with a white waistcoat and jabot secured with a jewelled pin, gold frame, glazed hair reserve with initials: JT signed with initials l.r.: JS. / 1787 / I

5.7 by 4.2 cm.; 2 1/4 by 1 5/8 in.

Foskett 1964, p. 74

Anonymous sale in these Rooms, 24 July 1978, lot 268

When Lord Cornwallis was appointed Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in India in 1786 he set about endeavouring to eliminate corruption in the East India Company. One person subject to his scrutiny was James Taylor. Taylor had arrived in India in 1764. He gradually rose through the ranks of the Civil Service, from writer in 1771, to junior merchant in 1776 and ultimately senior merchant in 1790. In 1792 however he was suspended from the Service, along with a Mr Holland, for arranging unofficial loans to the Nawab of Arcot (see lot 50). In judgement Cornwallis summarised, 'he [Taylor] allowed consideration of private interests to interfere with his public duty' (British Library, IOR/H/367, p. 168). Taylor returned to England the same year although he was not listed as 'out of service' of the East India Company until 1800.