William Dobson
(1611-1646), Portrait painterSitter in 9 portraits
Artist associated with 50 portraits
Born in London, Dobson was probably the son of a lawyer. He studied under the painter and publisher, William Peake, and the artist, Francis Cleyn, and probably through him came to know the paintings of Titian and van Dyck. Painter of the embattled Royalists, he was active during the Civil War both with the Royal Court in Oxford, and in London, as Principal Painter to the King. He returned to London after the defeat of the king by parliament and was briefly imprisoned for debt. He died in poverty aged thirty-five and was buried in St Martin-in-the-Fields. An elegy by Thomas Rawlins commemorated him as 'the very Soul of Art, the Prince and Prime of Painters'.
by John Watts, after William Dobson
mezzotint, published 1778
NPG D3557
after William Dobson
mezzotint, published circa 1778
NPG D18877
by James Caldwall (Caldwell), published by Alexander Hogg, after a portrait attributed to William Dobson
line engraving, published 1 January 1783
NPG D21003
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
published by John Thane, after William Dobson
line engraving, early 19th century
NPG D27064
by R. Cooper, after William Dobson
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D28952
by Robert Dunkarton, after William Dobson
mezzotint, published 1813
NPG D4381
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
by John Henry Robinson, published by Harding & Lepard, after William Dobson
stipple and line engraving, published 1 October 1829
NPG D27063
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
by John Henry Robinson, after William Dobson
stipple and line engraving, published 1829
NPG D38927
by John William Cook, published by E.F. Bingley, after William Dobson
stipple engraving, published 1 June 1832
NPG D29828
by George White, published by Samuel Sympson, after William Dobson
mezzotint, (circa 1642-1646)
NPG D20140
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Rosalinda Jones
13 March 2017, 19:41
Dobson's father was probably not a painter by profession, but a lawyer. He was admitted to the Inner Temple around 1592/3. The only known written mention of him is by John Aubrey, from whose words a likely misunderstanding over Dobson's occupation has arisen. Dobson worked for the Statue Office in Holborn until about 1611, when he moved to St Albans. He apparently also worked at the Alienation Office, but evidence for this is still being sought. He was employed by Sir Francis Bacon on the building of Verulam House at Gorhambury around this time, being called Bacon's 'right hand man'. From surviving receipts from Bacon's papers (sourced by Daphne du Maurier in her book on Bacon, "The Winding Stair" (1976)), he appears to have been a foreman, or some kind of legal advisor on the build, rather than a painter. If he was a painter, no evidence of this has been found.
Lynne Parry-Griffiths
17 May 2017, 13:20
Dobson's father also called William, died as 'a prisoner in the Fleet' 28 Aug 1625. This possibly contributes to the legend that Will Dobson himself was also prone to being 'irregular' and 'loose' in his way of living, given that he too was imprisoned (apparently for debt) before his untimely death.