Sir John Vanbrugh

This portraitback to top

Probably painted at the time of his marriage in 1719. Vanbrugh wears the badge of the Clarenceux King of Arms, see Kneller NPG 3231, although of a different configuration (circular, without the Clarenceux lion, the coronet smaller and dark).
A very similar head appears in a seated three-quarter-length with the Atlanta Historical Society, which shows Vanbrugh holding a watch in his left hand with books displayed on a table to the right (possibly a made-up portrait).

Referenceback to top

Piper 1963
D. Piper, Catalogue of the Seventeenth Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery 1625-1714, 1963, p 357 as attributed to Thomas Murray c.1718?.

Provenanceback to top

Arthur Robert Hood, Eastbourne; Christie’s, 26 February 1910, lot 48 as Kneller,¹ bought Shepherd Bros., from whom purchased 1910.

¹ Together with a portrait described as Lady Vanbrugh. Possibly that illus. Connoisseur, XLVIII, 1917, p 133 as by Isaac Whood (then in the John Lane collection), and K. Downes, Vanbrugh, 1977, pl.2.

Exhibitionsback to top

The Gothic, Brighton, 1975, D13.


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.

View all known portraits for Sir John Vanbrugh