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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, exhibited 1891

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, exhibited 1891

Arthur Balfour (1848–1930) first made his mark as a philosopher, publishing A Defence of Philosophic Doubt in 1879. He entered politics in 1874 and went on in 1902 to succeed his uncle, Lord Salisbury, as prime minister. However, he was unable to keep together a divided party and resigned in 1905. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty during the First World War, and as Foreign Secretary in 1917 he issued the Balfour Declaration, which was a step towards the foundation of modern Israel.

The Dutch artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema moved to London in 1870, where he enjoyed enormous popularity and success. His portrait of Balfour has an atmosphere of quiet reflection, presenting his subject as a man of thought rather than political action.

National Portrait Gallery, London Given by William Henry Smith, 3rd Viscount Hambleden, 1938
© National Portrait Gallery, London

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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