Sir John Barrow, 1st Bt
(1764-1848), Writer; founder of the Royal Geographical SocietyRegency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 6 portraits
At sixteen Barrow joined a whaling expedition to Greenland. On his return he taught mathematics before accompanying Lord Macartney's expedition to China in 1792. In 1797, he travelled with Lord Macartney to South Africa on a diplomatic mission to settle the government of the new colony of the Cape of Good Hope. Barrow was appointed Second Secretary to the Admiralty in 1804. In this capacity he promoted British exploration, most notably of West Africa and the North Polar Region, with attempts to find a north-west passage from east to west through the Canadian Arctic. These expeditions included those by Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross and Sir John Franklin.
by Unknown artist
watercolour and bodycolour on ivory, circa 1795
NPG 769
attributed to John Jackson
oil on canvas, circa 1810
NPG 886
by George Thomas Payne, after John Lucas
mezzotint, published 1847
NPG D649
by George Thomas Payne, after John Lucas
mezzotint, published 27 May 1847
NPG D19840
after John Jackson
stipple engraving, 1853 or after
NPG D23404
by W. Joseph Edwards, after John Jackson
stipple engraving, published 1853
NPG D21477
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