John Philip Kemble
(1757-1823), ActorRegency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 46 portraits
Actor, theatre manager and playwright, John Philip Kemble was the oldest son of Roger Kemble, who managed a touring theatre company. He followed his sister Sarah Siddons to Drury Lane, where he first appeared as Hamlet in 1783. He played a wide range of characters and excelled in Shakespearian tragedy, often appearing opposite Siddons. Between 1788 and 1796 he was also actor-manager at Drury Lane under Richard Brinsley Sheridan until he and Siddons defected to Covent Garden Theatre where he became manager and part-owner. He wrote a number of plays and had a deep knowledge of drama and stagecraft. He retired in 1817 after playing the title role in Coriolanus.
by Gilbert Stuart
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1785
NPG 49
John Philip Kemble as Richard III
by Francesco Bartolozzi, after and published by William Hamilton
stipple, published 1st March 1790
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B7.23
attributed to Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil, circa 1800
NPG 2616
by John Gibson
bronze bust, 1814
NPG 149
possibly by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching, circa 1783
NPG D12964
by William Ridley, published by Thomas Bellamy, after Gilbert Stuart
stipple engraving, published 1 March 1797
NPG D15500
by Richard Newton
hand-coloured etching, published January 1798
NPG D21610
by Henry Bone, after Sir William Beechey
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1798 (circa 1798)
NPG D17321
John Philip Kemble as Richard III
by Joseph Thornthwaite, published by John Bell, after Gilbert Stuart
line engraving, published 10 May 1798
NPG D3465
John Philip Kemble ('We serve a King whom we love - a God whom we adore')
by and published by Robert Dighton
hand-coloured etching, published June 1799
NPG D10686
by and published by James Heath, and published by Darling & Thompson, after George Chinnery
stipple engraving, published 1st February 1799
NPG D3464
by J.M.P., after Sir Thomas Lawrence
watercolour, (circa 1800)
NPG D3514
'Blowing up the Pic Nic's; - or - Harlequin Quixotte attacking the puppets'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 2 April 1802
NPG D12786
by William Barnard, published by H. Fuller, after George Hounsom
mezzotint, published 1 November 1803
NPG D36812
by and published by William Sharp, after Sir Martin Archer Shee
line engraving, published 7 April 1803
NPG D19330
'Theatrical mendicants, relieved'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 15 January 1809
NPG D12915
by William Daniell, after George Dance
soft-ground etching, published 15 March 1810 (16 March 1795)
NPG D12151
by William Say, after a painting attributed to Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1814 (1804)
NPG D11306
by Silvester, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1817
NPG D3463
John Philip Kemble as Richard III
possibly by Samuel De Wilde
pen and watercolour, 1817
NPG D3515
by John Rogers, published by Thomas Charles Wageman, after T & I Elvey
stipple and line engraving, published 1822
NPG D38633
by John Rogers, published by T & I Elvey, after Thomas Charles Wageman
stipple engraving, published 1822
NPG D38641
by Thomas Charles Wageman, published by Simpkin and Marshall, after Benjamin Holl
stipple engraving, published 1824
NPG D38670
by Charles Turner, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1825
NPG D3367
by Charles Turner, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1825
NPG D3368
by Charles Turner, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1825
NPG D3369
by William Say, published by William Sams, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1 February 1826
NPG D36813
by William Say, published by William Sams, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1 February 1826
NPG D36814
John Philip Kemble as King John
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22315
John Philip Kemble as Coriolanus
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22316
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22317
John Philip Kemble as The Stranger
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22318
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22319
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22320
John Philip Kemble as Penruddock
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22321
by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after John Boaden
lithograph, published 1 October 1826
NPG D22314
John Philip Kemble as Rolla in 'Pizarro'
after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1834
NPG D3402
by James Egan, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1838 (1801)
NPG D3395
John Philip Kemble as Coriolanus
by William Oakley Burgess, published by Marseille Middleton Holloway, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 11 March 1839
NPG D17077
by Charles William Sherborn, after Sir Martin Archer Shee
etching, 1886
NPG D21185
John Philip Kemble as Richard III
by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by Darling & Thompson, and Thomas Simpson, after William Hamilton
stipple, published 1 July 1794
NPG D49852
'Blowing up the Pic Nic's; - or - Harlequin Quixotte attacking the puppets'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 2 April 1802
NPG D13699
John Philip Kemble as Coriolanus
by Robert Mitchell Meadows, published by Thomas Palser, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
stipple, published 1 March 1805
NPG D49853
by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, based on a work of 1812
NPG D49851
Related People
- Cecilia Combe (née Siddons) (niece)
- Adelaide Kemble (Mrs Sartoris) (niece)
- Charles Kemble (brother)
- Frances ('Fanny') Kemble (sister)
- Frances Anne ('Fanny') Kemble (niece)
- Henry Vincent James Kemble (nephew)
- Priscilla Kemble (née Hopkins) (wife)
- Roger Kemble (father)
- Stephen Kemble (brother)
- George John Siddons (nephew)
- Henry Siddons (nephew)
- Maria Siddons (niece)
- Sarah Martha ('Sally') Siddons (niece)
- Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) (sister)
- Elizabeth Whitlock (née Kemble) (sister)
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