John Wolcot

Inscriptionback to top

The original backing inscribed in ink, in a contemporary hand: Dr John Wolcot -/son of Alexander & Mary -/Born May 9 1738 Died and, below: WS Lethbridge Pinxit ad vivum/no 391 Strand London/Exhibited in the Royal Academy.1817.<sup>1

1</sup> Preserved in the NPG archive, with a contemporary MS, also originally behind the miniature: Written under a Miniature Portrait of of John Wolcot M. D. (olim Peter Pindar, Esqr.) taken by that able artist Lethbridge his countryman when the Bard was in his 80th year ... Devonia greets her sons of skill, Who thus their parts so ably fill ...

This portraitback to top

A version with the Royal College of Physicians, London, [1] signed and dated Pinxit ad vivum 1817, shows the standing books arranged slightly differently.

Footnotesback to top

1) Illus. Cat. of Portraits, 1964, p 447.

Physical descriptionback to top

Grey eyes, fairish wig, wearing a grey suit with a yellow floral pattern, sitting in a blue chair; on the table in front of him a volume titled PINDAR’S WORKS .OL/V and a cameo head; a deep red curtain behind him.

Provenanceback to top

Purchased from William Mannin¹ 1863.

¹ For whom, see Horsley NPG 155.

Exhibitionsback to top

RA 1817 (646, with two others).


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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