Sir (Jonathan) Frederick Pollock, 1st Bt

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated (bottom centre): Samuel Laurence/Del^t. 1863

This portraitback to top

The story of this drawing is told by Thackeray in The Times:

'The Chief Baron was dining with me the other day and we laid our heads together to make a little plan for a painter-friend of ours to take each of our heads off; so, Mr Painter, execute thine office on that dear old Chief Baron whenever thou canst catch him; or me at thy leisure.'
The drawing of Thackeray by Laurence, which was given to Pollock, was in the collection of Lady Ritchie (see NPG 725). According to Lady Ritchie (letter of 27 June 1884, NPG archives), Thackeray and Pollock exchanged portraits 'out of friendship for one another and for the painter too'. The present Sir John Pollock owns a drawing of Pollock by Thackeray.

Referenceback to top

Miles
F. Miles, 'Samuel Laurence' (typescript copy, NPG library).

Pollock 1950
Sir J. Pollock, Time's Chariot (1950), p 23.

The Times, 22 January 1864.

Provenanceback to top

Commissioned by W. M. Thackeray in 1862, and presented by his daughter, Mrs (later Lady) Ritchie, 1885.


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 Sir (Jonathan) Frederick Pollock, 1st Bt