Samuel Johnson
(1709-1784), Poet, critic and lexicographerMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 51 portraits
The author of the prodigious Dictionary of the English Language (1755), Johnson gained further prestige through the publication of his new edition of Shakespeare (1765) and travel memoir A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland (1775). Ungainly and plagued with nervous tics, he was the victim of melancholia and could not bear solitude. Johnson had an immense circle of friends, and was one of the greatest conversationalists of all time. Reynolds founded the Literary Club with him in 1764 to 'give him unlimited opportunities for talking'. James Boswell's Life, along with other biographies documented his behaviour and mannerisms in such detail that they have informed the posthumous diagnosis of Tourette syndrome.
reduced copy after Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, mid 19th century, based on a work of circa 1769
NPG 1445
by Edward Hodges Baily, after Joseph Nollekens
marble bust, 1828, based on a work of 1777
NPG 996
by James Barry
oil on canvas, circa 1778-1780
NPG 1185
after John Opie
oil on canvas, based on a work of circa 1783-1784
NPG 1302
by William Cumberland Cruikshank, and James Hoskins
plaster cast of bust incorporating death-mask, 1784
NPG 4685
by Domenico Brucciani, after William Cumberland Cruikshank, and James Hoskins
plaster cast of bust, 1878, based on a work of 1784
NPG 498a
by Domenico Brucciani, after William Cumberland Cruikshank, and James Hoskins
plaster cast of bust, 1878, based on a work of 1784
NPG 498b
by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1st Bt, after a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds
painted plaster figure, 1881
NPG 621
by James Watson, published by Robert Sayer, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1769)
NPG D36536
by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1769)
NPG D3176
after Unknown artist
mezzotint printed in colours, late 18th century
NPG D36532
after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1772-1778)
NPG D14796
by William Doughty, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published late 18th century (1772-1778)
NPG D36534
Samuel Johnson ('Old wisdom blinking at the stars')
by James Gillray, published by W. Rennie
hand-coloured etching, published 10 March 1782
NPG D12300
by Thomas Trotter, published by George Kearsley
etching, published 1782
NPG D13814
by Thomas Trotter, published by George Kearsley
etching, published 1 February 1782
NPG D16750
Samuel Johnson ('Apollo and the muses, inflicting penance on Dr Pomposo, round Parnassus')
by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching, published 29 July 1783
NPG D12342
Dr Johnson in his Travelling Dress as described in Boswell's Tour (Samuel Johnson)
by Thomas Trotter, published by George Kearsley
line engraving, published 18 January 1786
NPG D34874
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published June 1786
NPG D12243
by James Heath, published by Harrison & Co, after John Opie
line engraving, published 14 March 1786
NPG D19057
after Thomas Trotter
line engraving, published 1786
NPG D20327
by John Hall, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1787 (circa 1786)
NPG D11044
'Frontispiece for the 2nd edition of Dr Johnson's letters'
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 7 April 1788
NPG D9898
'Frontispiece for the 2nd edition of Dr Johnson's letters'
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 7 April 1788
NPG D15034
by James Heath, published by Charles Dilly, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, published 10 April 1791 (1756-1757)
NPG D34873
by and published by Charles Townley, after John Opie
mezzotint, published 20 February 1792 (1783-1784)
NPG D36531
by William Doughty, published by John Jones, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 24 June 1793 (1772-1778)
NPG D36533
by Unknown artist
wax impression of intaglio, (19th century)
NPG D7040
by Unknown artist
stipple engraving, published 1803
NPG D34872
by James Neagle, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1806
NPG D8977
by James Heath, published by Longman & Co, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1 August 1806 (1772-1778)
NPG D14095
by James Neagle, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1810
NPG D8978
by Ignace Joseph de Claussen, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
etching, early 19th century
NPG D16487
by William Thomas Fry, published by and after Abraham Wivell, after Joseph Nollekens
stipple engraving, published 26 June 1815 (1777)
NPG D36539
by William Camden Edwards, published by W. Walker, after George Clint, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1 May 1823
NPG D14528
after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, circa 1824 (1762?-1769)
NPG D18941
by Jacques G. Sturm, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, circa 1825-1844
NPG D13848
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Hodgson, Boys & Graves, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1835 (1772-1778)
NPG D36535
'A literary party at Sir Joshua Reynolds's'
by D. George Thompson, published by Owen Bailey, after James William Edmund Doyle
stipple and line engraving, published 1 October 1851
NPG D14518
by George Zobel, published by Paul and Dominic Colnaghi & Co, published by Robert Roe, possibly after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 2 January 1854
NPG D36538
by Samuel Haydon, after Ozias Humphry, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
etching, circa 1860 (1769)
NPG D3158
John Bacon the Elder; Samuel Johnson (on reverse)
by Joseph Shepherd Wyon, and after John Bacon the Elder
bronze medal, 1864
NPG D2907
'Dr Johnson awaiting an audience of Lord Chesterfield' (Samuel Johnson and 14 unknown figures)
by Lumb Stocks, published by Art Union of London, after Edward Matthew Ward
engraving, published 1876
NPG D36541
Unknown man, formerly known as Samuel Johnson
published by C. Eskell van Noorden
photograph, before 1900
NPG D36537
by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1st Bt
clay bust, 1881
NPG 621a
by William Doughty, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1779 (1772-1778)
NPG D19511
by William Holl Sr, published by Longman & Co, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, published 1814
NPG D19318
'A literary party at Sir Joshua Reynolds's'
by D. George Thompson, published by William Walker, and Owen Bailey, after James William Edmund Doyle
stipple and line engraving, published 1 July 1848
NPG D49811
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.