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James Roberts

(1753-in or after 1809), Portrait painter

Artist associated with 54 portraits
James Roberts was an artist who painted landscapes and worked as a miniaturist, but he was best known for his small whole-length portraits, chiefly of actors in character. Between 1775 and 1781, he produced more than sixty watercolours on vellum for the portrait plates in Bell's British Theatre. Roberts exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1773 to 1784, and again from 1795 to 1799; in the interval, he worked in Oxford as a drawing master.

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James William Dodd as Campley in 'The Funeral', by Richard Godfrey, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG L269.B6.13

James William Dodd as Campley in 'The Funeral'

by Richard Godfrey, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
engraving, published 5th December 1794
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B6.13

Mary Yates; Master Pullen (as Isabella and child in David Garrick's 'Isabella'), by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8464

Mary Yates; Master Pullen (as Isabella and child in David Garrick's 'Isabella')

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D8464

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8941

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 16 July 1776
NPG D8941

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8942

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 16 July 1776
NPG D8942

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8943

Mary Ann Yates as Calista in Rowe's 'The Fair Penitent'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
hand-coloured line engraving, published 16 July 1776
NPG D8943

Mary Yates; Master Pullen (as Isabella and child in David Garrick's 'Isabella'), by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8951

Mary Yates; Master Pullen (as Isabella and child in David Garrick's 'Isabella')

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 26 September 1776
NPG D8951

Ann Catley as Euphrosyne in Milton's 'Comus', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D2032

Ann Catley as Euphrosyne in Milton's 'Comus'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1777
NPG D2032

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8676

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1 March 1777
NPG D8676

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8678

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
coloured line engraving, published 1 March 1777
NPG D8678

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8679

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
coloured line engraving, published 1 March 1777
NPG D8679

Mary Ann Yates in the character of Electra, by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8818

Mary Ann Yates in the character of Electra

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 6 October 1777
NPG D8818

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire), by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8944

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire)

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 6 October 1777
NPG D8944

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire), by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8945

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire)

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 6 October 1777
NPG D8945

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire), by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8946

Mary Ann Yates as Electra in Thomas Francklin's 'Orestes' (after Voltaire)

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
coloured line engraving, published 6 October 1777
NPG D8946

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D4954

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
coloured line engraving, published 1778
NPG D4954

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8930

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published January 1778
NPG D8930

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia', by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by  John Bell, after  James Roberts - NPG D8931

Mary Ann Yates as Virginia in Crisp's 'Virginia'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after James Roberts
line engraving, published January 1778
NPG D8931

Jenny Barsanti (Jane Barsanti), by Charles Grignion, published by  Joseph Wenman, after  James Roberts - NPG D13969

Jenny Barsanti (Jane Barsanti)

by Charles Grignion, published by Joseph Wenman, after James Roberts
etching, published 1 June 1778
NPG D13969

James Sadler, by Edmund Scott, after  James Roberts - NPG D5877

James Sadler

by Edmund Scott, after James Roberts
stipple, published 1785
NPG D5877

'Marlborough Theatricals' (Charlotte Nares (née Spencer); Lord Charles Spencer), by and published by John Jones, published by and after  James Roberts - NPG D42017

'Marlborough Theatricals' (Charlotte Nares (née Spencer); Lord Charles Spencer)

by and published by John Jones, published by and after James Roberts
mezzotint, published 8 December 1788
NPG D42017

'Marlborough Theatricals', by and published by John Jones, published by and after  James Roberts - NPG D14918

'Marlborough Theatricals'

by and published by John Jones, published by and after James Roberts
mezzotint, published 8 December 1788
NPG D14918

'Marlborough Theatricals', by and published by John Jones, published by and after  James Roberts - NPG D14919

'Marlborough Theatricals'

by and published by John Jones, published by and after James Roberts
mezzotint, published 8 December 1788
NPG D14919

Elizabeth (née Farren), Countess of Derby, by John Jones, after and published by  James Roberts, after  Anne Seymour Damer (née Conway) - NPG D35132

Elizabeth (née Farren), Countess of Derby

by John Jones, after and published by James Roberts, after Anne Seymour Damer (née Conway)
stipple engraving, published 31 March 1789
NPG D35132

Sir John Hawkins, by R. Clamp, published by  E. & S. Harding, after  Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after  James Roberts - NPG D13918

Sir John Hawkins

by R. Clamp, published by E. & S. Harding, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after James Roberts
stipple engraving, published 1 September 1794
NPG D13918

Sir John Hawkins, by R. Clamp, published by  E. & S. Harding, after  Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after  James Roberts - NPG D16218

Sir John Hawkins

by R. Clamp, published by E. & S. Harding, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after James Roberts
stipple engraving, published 1 September 1794
NPG D16218

Sir John Hawkins, by R. Clamp, published by  E. & S. Harding, after  Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after  James Roberts - NPG D16219

Sir John Hawkins

by R. Clamp, published by E. & S. Harding, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, after James Roberts
stipple engraving, published 1 September 1794
NPG D16219

Robert Faulknor, by and published by H.D. Gardner, after  James Roberts - NPG D36666

Robert Faulknor

by and published by H.D. Gardner, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1795
NPG D36666

Robert Faulknor, by H.D. Gardner, published by and after  James Roberts - NPG D12036

Robert Faulknor

by H.D. Gardner, published by and after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1795
NPG D12036

Miss Wallis, by Philipp Audinet, published by  George Cawthorn, after  James Roberts - NPG D15618

Miss Wallis

by Philipp Audinet, published by George Cawthorn, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 18 June 1798
NPG D15618

Sir John Hawkins, after James Roberts - NPG D16220

Sir John Hawkins

after James Roberts
etching, early 19th century
NPG D16220

Jane Green (née Hippisley) as Mrs Cadwallader, published by John Hippisley Green, probably after  James Roberts - NPG D2803

Jane Green (née Hippisley) as Mrs Cadwallader

published by John Hippisley Green, probably after James Roberts
etching, published 1803
NPG D2803

Web image not currently available

William Parsons as Periwinkle

by James Roberts
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D8435

Web image not currently available

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Irene in Brown's 'Barbarossa'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1777
NPG D8677

Web image not currently available

Elizabeth Sharp (née Hopkins) when Miss Hopkins; as Arethusa in Beaumont and Fletcher's 'Philaster'

by Joseph Thornthwaite, after James Roberts
line engraving, published 1778
NPG D8674

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