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16.06.09
Behind the seen
Stroll down London’s Dover Street and this rather imposing chap will stare out at you from the window of Philip Mould’s Gallery. If you’re a regular Antiques Roadshow viewer (and more people watch it than they might admit), Mould himself is a regular expert providing on-the-spot provenance, insight, yarns, and yes valuations too. Anyway, go inside the gallery (if they’ll let you in - pretend you’re loaded) and this imposing painting of Sir John Conroy by Henry Pickersgill, RA (1782-1875) reveals its other side - the most incredible ‘back’ which describes in meticulous detail Conroy’s life, his decorations, how many portraits like this existed (three) and that this one was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1837. 
A judicious trawl on the Philip Mould website reveals that Conroy himself exerted substantial control over the young Queen Victoria - ‘Victoria was never allowed to be alone, had to sleep in her mother’s bedroom, and was restricted to specially selected visitors. Conroy’s power was such that William IV called him ‘King John’.’ 
You don't see the backs of priceless oil paintings that often - this is worth the visit for the stories told alone. This is what the painting really looks like. 
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