Henry Collins

circa 1736

Henry Collins (1699-1764), Richard Ward's half-brother, was a Newport merchant in the cordage business, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Among his many contributions to the city of Newport was the donation of land on which the Redwood Library was built (Collins served as one of the Directors of the Redwood Library 1748-61). He commissioned Feke to paint portraits of a number of his contemporaries. Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse referred to Collins as the "Lorenzo de Medici of Rhode Island".

oil paint on canvas

H-126.5 W-100 cm

Gift of the family of Countess Gladys Moore Vanderbilt Széchényi

PA.105