John Law

This portraitback to top

To judge by the MS description formerly on the verso [1], NPG 191 has been identified as Law at least since the later eighteenth century, and the elegant costume suggests it was painted in France. Comparison with other portraits suggests the identity may be correct, though the attribution to Belle must remain tentative. [2] The portrait by Rigaud engraved by Schenk in 1720 seems to show the same face grown heavier and grander, suggesting NPG 191 was painted c.1713-15.
A reduced watercolour copy by Scharf, made for his friend Harry Hives Lee in 1885, was with J. Bright & Son, Brixham, 1973.

Footnotesback to top

1) A discursive MS account of Law, written in an old French hand, was attached to the stretcher (now separately conserved); transcribed in March 1865 by Scharf (who noted a ticket bearing the number 312).
2) NPG 191 was unattributed when acquired in 1865, but had been given to Belle by 1884; Piper first qualified this attribution in 1963.

Referenceback to top

Piper 1963
D. Piper, Catalogue of the Seventeenth Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery 1625-1714, 1963, pp 196.

Provenanceback to top

John Boykett Jarman (1782-1864), silversmith and art dealer, his sale, Christie’s, 30 June ff. 1864, lot 432; C. H. Waters, from whom purchased March 1865.

Exhibitionsback to top

Second Special Exhibition of National Portraits ( ... William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867, no.196; France in the 18th century, RA, 1968, no.16; Beningbrough 1982–2006.


This extended catalogue entry is from the National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Later Stuart Portraits 1685–1714, National Portrait Gallery, 2009, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

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