Joseph Highmore
(1692-1780), PainterArtist associated with 54 portraits
Joseph Highmore trained initially as a lawyer, however he was determined to pursue a career as an artist. He attended classes in Sir Godfrey Kneller's academy and in 1715 he established a portrait-painting practice. In his early work, Highmore adapted Kneller's style of portraiture. His later style was influenced by French Rococo artists, such as Philippe Mercier and Hubert Gravelot, who were established in London during the 1730s and 1740s.
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, circa 1723
NPG 6142
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, 1740
NPG 1977
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, 1746
NPG 5743
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, circa 1747
NPG 161
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, 1750
NPG 1036
by Joseph Highmore
oil on canvas, 1757
NPG 572
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, early-mid 18th century
NPG D4165
Unknown sitter formerly called Sir James Thornhill
by Joseph Highmore
etching, 1723
NPG D2944
by George Vertue, after Joseph Highmore
line engraving, published 1726
NPG D27485
Caroline Wilhelmina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1727 or after
NPG D7913
Caroline Wilhelmina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1727 or after
NPG D7914
William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
by and published by John Smith, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1729
NPG D11644
William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, mid 18th century
NPG D9211
by and published by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, circa 1730-1750
NPG D18918
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1730s
NPG D7909
by John Faber Jr, printed for Thomas Bowles Jr, printed for John Bowles, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1730s
NPG D7910
by Louis Philippe Boitard, after Joseph Highmore
line engraving, mid 18th century
NPG D8859
William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, circa 1731-1734 (circa 1730)
NPG D7937
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1732
NPG D4688
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1732
NPG D4689
by and published by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1732
NPG D15203
by and published by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1732
NPG D19200
by George Vertue, after Joseph Highmore
line engraving, published 1733
NPG D27333
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, circa 1734-1756
NPG D34034
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, circa 1734-1756
NPG D2094
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, (1735)
NPG D3836
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, (1736)
NPG D34865
by Charles (Cantelowe, Cantlo) Bestland, after Joseph Highmore
stipple engraving, 1740
NPG D3231
by Charles (Cantelowe, Cantlo) Bestland, after Joseph Highmore
stipple engraving, 1740
NPG D14156
Ann Columbine (née Master); Francis Columbine
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1741
NPG D4936
by Gerard Vandergucht, after Joseph Highmore
line engraving, published 1742
NPG D27504
by Gerard Vandergucht, after Joseph Highmore
line engraving, published 1742
NPG D8717
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1748
NPG D40200
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1748
NPG D40206
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, published 1748
NPG D3880
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, published 1748
NPG D3881
sold by Robert Sayer, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, after 1748
NPG D3883
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1748
NPG D5519
by John Faber Jr, after Joseph Highmore
mezzotint, 1748
NPG D657
by George Vertue, after Joseph Highmore
engraving, published 1748
NPG D13886
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Mr.E.P.Daly
08 November 2017, 13:32
Joseph Highmore was a Governor of The Foundling Hospital which was established in 1738, but only opening to take children in by 1741 in Hatton Garden,in London. He would have been fully aware, being a founding director, of Lord Mansfield and Allan Ramsay, both involved with the hospital from the start. Later would join 7th Viscount Stormont, nephew of Lord Mansfield to further advance the hospital. Mansfield, Ramsay and Stormont were all relatives of Dido Elizabeth Belle, whom if her father Sir John Lindsay KB, Prince of Arcot had not wanted to raise her, would probably ended up in the Foundling Hospital due to Lord Mansfield's influence.It's possible Joseph Highmore may have been aware of Dido through Lord Mansfield as the Mansfields lived not far away at 57 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the 1740's-to early 1770's.
Ford Curran
14 November 2019, 18:55
Every morning for more than 13 years, a painted portrait of an 18th Century lord greeted me at my office and challenged me to remember my security code. His smug face has remained nameless, as nobody at the University ever knew anything about the painting or its provenance.
One day, while reading a periodical (The Irish Emigrant Newspaper), I happened upon a photograph of Christy Burke, a modern-day Lord Mayor, in a contemporary suit, wearing an almost-identical chain. Bingo.
After years of casual searching of portraits of Lord Mayors past, I have identified our painting:
Portrait Of Sir John Barnard (1685-1764) by Joseph Highmore.
Likely a study for the official full portrait that hangs in the Guildhall Art Gallery in London.
My guess is that the University has owned it since its beginning in 1839.
A grandson of the artist was Arthur Highmore Junior, who was part of the Abolitionist Movement. BU's founders were also Abolitionists, perhaps the painting came to BU through a relationship then and there.