David Livingstone

Inscriptionback to top

Signed (bottom right): Joseph Bonomi/del
Inscribed in pencil, apparently in another hand (lower left and centre): Hartwell July 30 1857

This portraitback to top

The artist wrote to Scharf about this portrait (letter of 5 May 1874, NPG archives): 'I shall write again respecting the circumstances under which the portrait of Livingstone was made. This is to thank you for your kind letter.' Unfortunately Bonomi did not write again. However, his friend Mrs Merriman (formerly Mrs Lee of Hartwell), wrote in a letter of 25 April 1874 (NPG archives):

'I am sorry to detract from the value of the Portrait of Dr Livingstone which has lately been presented to the National Portrait Gallery but I observe it is said to be an original portrait. Original it doubtless is, as being the handiwork of my friend Mr Bonomi (who assures me that he has no doubt of its genuineness) but I think it right to state that I am in the possession of the original drawing, & that presented by Mr Smith to your Gallery must be one of a few copies which Mr Bonomi remembers to have made when at Hartwell.'
She wrote again in a letter of i May 1874 (NPG archives):

'Had it not been fixed in a book I should have been pleased to offer to lend it [i.e. her drawing of Livingstone] to your Gallery for a short time. As far as I can judge from the engraving in the Graphic the copy you possess is a very fair one, but I do not think the likeness has been quite retained.
The value of mine is enhanced by the autograph of Livingstone which he appended at the time it was drawn. I do not remember how many copies Mr Bonomi made (probably 3 or 4) but they are all likely to have been like your's & not from a different point of view.
Mr Bonomi also made for me a similar profile sketch of Charles Livingstone who accompanied his brother to Hartwell.'
The NPG drawing was reproduced as a woodcut in the Graphic, IX (1874), 401.

Provenanceback to top

Presented by William Smith, 1874.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, 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.

View all known portraits for Joseph Bonomi the Younger

View all known portraits for David Livingstone