Sir Frank Swettenham

Sitterback to top

• Sir Frank Swettenham (1850-1946), Colonial administrator. Sitter in 5 portraits.

Artistback to top

• John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), Portrait and landscape painter and muralist. Artist associated with 70 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.

This portraitback to top

A portrait of the colonial administrator Sir Frank Swettenham was commissioned in 1903 from the leading society portraitist of the time, the American artist John Singer Sargent, by the Malay Straits Association of London. This portrait of Swettenham by Sargent began as a copy of the original portrait by one of Sargent's copyists but Sargent took over the painting and Swettenham gave fresh sittings. He is shown surrounded by accessories evoking his Far Eastern career: a huge globe just visible in the top left-hand corner hovers over a chair draped with the magnificent Malayan brocades that he collected. Swettenham wears his white uniform and adopts an elegant, Van Dyckian pose, leaning against the chair and gripping it with his right hand, his clawlike fingers providing a note of tension.

Related worksback to top

• NPG x97938: Sir Frank Swettenham (after)

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• Victorian Portraits Resource Pack, p. 37
• Funnell, Peter, Victorian Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1996, p. 37
• Funnell, Peter (introduction); Marsh, Jan, A Guide to Victorian and Edwardian Portraits, 2011, p. 58
• Gibson, Robin, Painting The Century: 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900-2000, 2000 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 26 October 2000 to 4 February 2001), p. 59
• Gibson, Robin, Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, 1996, p. 103
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 601
• Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 183

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Painting the Century (26 October 2000 - 4 February 2001)

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Carpets and textiles
• Swords and shields