Sir Charles Barry
1 portrait
Sir Charles Barry
by John Prescott Knight
oil on canvas, circa 1851
57 in. x 44 in. (1448 mm x 1118 mm)
Given by the sitter's son, Bishop A. Barry, 1900
Primary Collection
NPG 1272
Click on the links below to find out more:
Artistback to top
- John Prescott Knight (1803-1881), Portrait painter. Artist associated with 25 portraits, Sitter in 3 portraits.
This portraitback to top
The leading architect of his generation, Charles Barry worked mostly in a classical or Italianate style but his major achievement was the Elizabethan-style Houses of Parliament which he designed together with Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. In this portrait Barry is shown with a pair of compasses in his hand, resting his elbow on some partly unrolled architectural plans which lie on top of a Gothic-style cupboard. The plans presumably relate to the new Houses of Parliament which are seen under construction in the background.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Audio Guide
- Ormond, Richard, Early Victorian Portraits, 1973, p. 28
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 37
Thematic collections
See this portrait
On display in Room 22 at the National Portrait Gallery



