John Boydell
(1720-1804), Engraver and printsellerSitter in 13 portraits
Artist associated with 132 portraits
John Boydell was the most important print publisher of his day, and was responsible for the publication of some of the most impressive paintings of the period. In 1769, he launched A Collection of Prints, Engraved from the most Capital Paintings in England. A second volume was completed in 1772. In the 1790s, Boydell began a Shakespeare venture that included the establishment of a Shakespeare Gallery and the publication of an illustrated edition of Shakespeare's plays. Some of the most illustrious painters of the day contributed, but financial woes dogged the project as Britain's economy suffered during the French Revolutionary wars. The expenses were so large that Boydell died almost bankrupt.
Mr Foote in the Character of Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garratt (Mr Hayes; Samuel Foote)
by John Gottfried Haid, published by John Boydell, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 1765
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B5.32
King Charles I; Henrietta Maria; King Charles II; Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
by Bernard Baron, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
etching and line engraving, 1741 (1632)
NPG D32111
by Pieter Stevens van Gunst, published by John Boydell, published by Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
line engraving, published late 18th century (circa 1638)
NPG D32074
by J. Simson, published by John Boydell, and published by Thomas Jefferys, after Jeremiah Meyer, after James Macardell
mezzotint, published 1761
NPG D33148
Giuseppe Filippo Liberati ('Joseph') Marchi
by Jonathan Spilsbury, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1761 (1753)
NPG D38218
Giuseppe Filippo Liberati ('Joseph') Marchi
by Jonathan Spilsbury, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1761 (1753)
NPG D38219
Giuseppe Filippo Liberati ('Joseph') Marchi
by Jonathan Spilsbury, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1761 (1753)
NPG D3667
by William Pether, published by Henry Parker, and published by Elizabeth Bakewell, and published by John Boydell, after Thomas Frye
mezzotint, published 1 October 1762
NPG D9891
by William Pether, published by Henry Parker, and published by John Boydell, after Thomas Frye
mezzotint, published 1 October 1762
NPG D11286
Mr Foote in the Character of Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garrat (Mr Hayes; Samuel Foote)
by John Gottfried Haid, published by John Boydell, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 1765
NPG D37711
Mr Foote in the Character of Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garrat (Mr Hayes; Samuel Foote)
by John Gottfried Haid, published by John Boydell, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 14 August 1765
NPG D37712
Mr Foote in the Character of Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garrat (Mr Hayes; Samuel Foote)
by John Gottfried Haid, published by John Boydell, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 14 August 1765
NPG D37713
Mr Foote in the Character of Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garrat (Mr Hayes; Samuel Foote)
by John Gottfried Haid, published by John Boydell, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 14 August 1765
NPG D37714
Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
by James Basire, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, 1766
NPG D32552
Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
by Simon François Ravenet, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1766
NPG D32553
Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
by Simon François Ravenet, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1766
NPG D32554
Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
by Simon François Ravenet, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1766
NPG D32555
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, published by Josiah Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, 1766
NPG D7002
by Richard Earlom, published by John Boydell, after Benjamin West
mezzotint, published 1 December 1767
NPG D38749
Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1767 (1765-1766)
NPG D40824
Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1767 (1765-1766)
NPG D40825
Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1767 (1765-1766)
NPG D40826
Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 24 November 1767 (1765-1766)
NPG D40827
Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 24 November 1767 (1765-1766)
NPG D40828
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Francis Cotes
mezzotint, published 1768
NPG D36258
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Francis Cotes
mezzotint, published 1 July 1768
NPG D36259
Viscountess Clifden and Duchess of Marlborough
by James Watson, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, 1768 (1764-1767)
NPG D38252
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34384
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34385
by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by John Boydell, after Carlo Dolci
etching, published 1769
NPG D14561
by Pieter Stevens van Gunst, published by John Boydell, and published by Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
line engraving, late 18th century
NPG D31961
King Charles I; Pierre Antoine Bourdon, Seigneur de St Antoine
by Bernard Baron, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
line engraving, published 1770
NPG D26306
Mary (née Ruthven), Lady van Dyck
by Francesco Bartolozzi, after Sir Anthony van Dyck, published by John Boydell
line engraving, published 1770
NPG D28482
Elizabeth Catherine ('Kitty') Clarke (née Hunter)
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Edward Francis Cunningham (Calze)
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D33310
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after George Romney
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D34422
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after George Romney
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D34423
Samuel Reddish in the Character of Posthumus in 'Cymbeline'
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Robert Edge Pine
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D39672
Samuel Reddish in the Character of Posthumus in 'Cymbeline'
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Robert Edge Pine
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D39673
Samuel Reddish in the Character of Posthumus in 'Cymbeline'
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Robert Edge Pine
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D39674
by and published by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, or published by Josiah Boydell, published by Henry Parker, published by Robert Sayer, after George Romney
mezzotint, published 18 May 1772 (1772)
NPG D36387
Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke aged three years
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Katharine Read
mezzotint, published 17 February 1772
NPG D36255
Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke aged three years
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Katharine Read
mezzotint, published 17 February 1772
NPG D36256
by John Dixon, published by John Boydell, and Samuel Hooper, and T. Bradford, and Thomas Burford, and John Dixon, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1 December 1772 (1772)
NPG D39793
James Stuart, 1st Duke of Richmond and 4th Duke of Lennox
by Richard Earlom, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1 September 1773
NPG D39737
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1775 (circa 1638)
NPG D26618
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1 November 1775 (circa 1632-1635)
NPG D28342
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1 November 1775 (circa 1632-1635)
NPG D28349
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1775 (circa 1638)
NPG D33818
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1775 (circa 1638)
NPG D34676
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 15 April 1775
NPG D36407
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Josiah Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 25 March 1775
NPG D37547
Richard Robinson, 1st Baron Rokeby
by and published by John Raphael Smith, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 13 September 1775 (1771-1775)
NPG D39842
Richard Robinson, 1st Baron Rokeby
by and published by John Raphael Smith, published by John Boydell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 13 September 1775 (1771-1775)
NPG D39843
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1 November 1775 (circa 1632-1635)
NPG D3185
by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Sir Anthony van Dyck
mezzotint, published 1 November 1775 (circa 1632-1635)
NPG D3186
Abraham van der Doort (inscribed 'Dobson's Father')
by Valentine Green, possibly after William Dobson, published by John Boydell
mezzotint, published 1776
NPG D28317
by Richard Earlom, after Sir Peter Lely, published by John Boydell
mezzotint, published 1776
NPG D27632
by J. Meers, printed for and published by John Boydell, after Thomas Parkinson
mezzotint, published 15 November 1776
NPG D36248
by Richard Earlom, after Sir Peter Lely, published by John Boydell
mezzotint, published 1776
NPG D37544
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.