Sir Allan Napier McNabb, 1849
Artist: Partridge, John (1790-1872)
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 145.5 x 115 cm (stretcher)

Sir Allan Napier MacNab (1798-1872) was born at Fort Newark(Niagara-on the-Lake) and became a dynamic presence in the political and business life of Ontario. He served as a speaker of the Legislative Assembly, 1837-1841 and again in 1844-1848, following the 1841 union of Upper and Lower Canada (Ontarioand Quebec) into the Province of Canada. He then served as prime minister of the province, 1854-1859. He had extensive land holdings in and near Hamilton, Ontario, and was invlved in several railway companies. Despite his enthusiasm for business, he died heavily in debt. His imposing residence, Dundurn Castle located in Hamilton, is now a historic castle open to the public. This painting, showing MacNab in the speaker's robes, was done in England during a visit he made in 1849.

National Archives of Canada, negative no. C-005317