James Macpherson

1 portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds

James Macpherson, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, based on a work of 1772 -NPG 983 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue

James Macpherson

after Sir Joshua Reynolds
based on a work of 1772
29 1/4 in. x 24 1/2 in. (743 mm x 622 mm)
NPG 983

This portraitback to top

A weak copy of the Reynolds portrait at Petworth painted in 1772. [1] Other copies sold Sotheby’s, 14 May 1986, lot 189, and in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (PG 1439). An oval miniature copy attributed to Ozias Humphry was sold Christie’s, 18 December 1979, lot 59, [2] presumably related to the ‘small enamel portrait of Macpherson, the duplicate of one painted for the Nabob of Arcot, also by Sir Joshua’ seen in the Macpherson home, Balavil House [Belleville], c.1840. [3]

Footnotesback to top

1) D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1168; engraved J. K. Sherwin 1775; C. Knight 1805; J. Fittler 1805, and W. Bond 1806 and 1813;
2) Probably that exhibited SKM 1865 (1252), lent Lea.
3) R. Carruthers, The Highland Notebook, 1843, p 307.

Referenceback to top

Mannings 2000
D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1168a.

Physical descriptionback to top

Blue eyes, brownish hair, wearing a red coat with a dark fur collar over a silver waistcoat striped with green.

Provenanceback to top

Presented by Henry Willett 1895.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, 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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