Unknown portrait of ex-mayor identified as Llantrisant man

Image source, Cardiff council

Image caption, Sir David Evans became Lord Mayor of London in 1891

A painting taken down from Cardiff City Hall after no-one recognised the man in the portrait has been identified and put back on display.

The picture turned out to be a painting of Sir David Evans, a Lord Mayor of London in the Victorian era, who came from Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

It has now been permanently loaned to Llantrisant Town Trust.

Cardiff's lord mayor said it was "only proper" the painting was put back on display in his hometown.

The painting, believed to have been originally gifted to Lord Bute, was discovered by council staff at Cardiff's Mansion House where it had been stored since 1995.

Cardiff Lord Mayor Bob Derbyshire said: "This painting has baffled our curators for many years because it has no name plate or any reference with which to identify it.

"But when Llantrisant Town Trust contacted us with a photograph of Sir David, we were able to identify the painting at long last.

"We feel that it is only proper that the painting can be admired once again by the people of his hometown in the setting of the restored Llantrisant Guildhall where he became a Freeman."

Clerk to Llantrisant Town Trust, Dean Powell, said they were "overjoyed" with the discovery.

"Once our Guildhall is completed later this year he will be assured of pride of place in the main Georgian court room of the building," he added.