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Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

(1755-1831), Actress

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 40 portraits
Artist associated with 1 portrait
A leading tragic actress and celebrity, Siddons's first major success came in 1782 with her portrayal of Isabella in the Fatal Marriage, written by David Garrick the leading actor-manager of the period. Siddons continued to dominate the London stage until her farewell in 1812. Part of a powerful theatrical dynasty, her brothers were the actors Philip and Charles Kemble, her husband was the actor William Siddons and her son, Henry Siddons was also an actor. She was hailed as the chief interpreter of Shakespeare. Her masterpiece was Lady Macbeth as she excelled in roles that allowed her to combine passionate intelligence with pathos. The critic William Hazlitt proclaimed her 'tragedy personified'.

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Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse, by Francis Haward, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG L269.B6.14

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse

by Francis Haward, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple, published 1787 (1783-1784)
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B6.14

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by and published by James Heath, published by  Darling & Thompson, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG L269.B7.11

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by and published by James Heath, published by Darling & Thompson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
stipple, published 1st February 1799
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B7.11

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) in the character of Zara, by John Raphael Smith, published by and after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D41673

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) in the character of Zara

by John Raphael Smith, published by and after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 18 June 1783
NPG D41673

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Thomas Burke, published by  James Birchall, after  J. Bateman - NPG D19235

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Thomas Burke, published by James Birchall, after J. Bateman
stipple engraving, published 14 April 1783
NPG D19235

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as Melpomene, by James Gillray, published by  James Ridgway - NPG D41671

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as Melpomene

by James Gillray, published by James Ridgway
etching and aquatint, published 6 December 1784
NPG D41671

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as Melpomene, by James Gillray, published by  James Ridgway - NPG D19729

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as Melpomene

by James Gillray, published by James Ridgway
etching and aquatint, published 6 December 1784
NPG D19729

'Mrs Siddons and her Son in the Tragedy of Isabella' (Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); Henry Siddons), by and published by James Caldwall (Caldwell), published by and after  William Hamilton - NPG D41670

'Mrs Siddons and her Son in the Tragedy of Isabella' (Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); Henry Siddons)

by and published by James Caldwall (Caldwell), published by and after William Hamilton
mezzotint, published 1 June 1785
NPG D41670

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), after Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D41676

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

after Thomas Gainsborough
offset lithograph printed in colours, (1785)
NPG D41676

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse, by Francis Haward, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D9069

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse

by Francis Haward, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple, published 1787 (1783-1784)
NPG D9069

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by William Ridley, published by  Thomas Bellamy, after  Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) - NPG D15025

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by William Ridley, published by Thomas Bellamy, after Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)
stipple engraving, published 1 August 1796
NPG D15025

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Henry Bone, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D17318

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Henry Bone, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1798 (1798)
NPG D17318

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Henry Bone, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D17562

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Henry Bone, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil and ink drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1798 (1798)
NPG D17562

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), published by Photographische Gesellschaft, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D41672

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

published by Photographische Gesellschaft, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
photogravure, 1900 or before (1798)
NPG D41672

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse, by Joseph Webb, published by  Hannah Humphrey, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D41674

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse

by Joseph Webb, published by Hannah Humphrey, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
hand-coloured mixed-method engraving, published 10 June 1798 (1783-1784)
NPG D41674

'Blowing up the Pic Nic's; - or - Harlequin Quixotte attacking the puppets', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12786

'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

'Theatrical mendicants, relieved', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12915

'Theatrical mendicants, relieved'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 15 January 1809
NPG D12915

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse, by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D14253

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse

by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published circa 1820 (1783-1784)
NPG D14253

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Charles Turner, published by  Henry Colburn, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D4231

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Charles Turner, published by Henry Colburn, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 20 November 1826 (1797)
NPG D4231

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Richard James Lane, printed by  Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by  Joseph Dickinson, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21810

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, published May 1830
NPG D21810

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Richard James Lane, printed by  Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by  Joseph Dickinson, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21817

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, published May 1830
NPG D21817

Cecilia Combe (née Siddons); Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); Maria Siddons; George John Siddons; Charles Kemble, by Richard James Lane, published by  Joseph Dickinson, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21827

Cecilia Combe (née Siddons); Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); Maria Siddons; George John Siddons; Charles Kemble

by Richard James Lane, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, published May 1830
NPG D21827

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse, by John Charles Bromley, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D4232

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) as the Tragic Muse

by John Charles Bromley, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1832 (1783-1784)
NPG D4232

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Richard James Lane, published by  Joseph Dickinson, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D15159

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Richard James Lane, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, published 1836 (1797)
NPG D15159

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Thomas Lewis Atkinson, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D41675

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Thomas Lewis Atkinson, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1870 (1785)
NPG D41675

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), by Thomas Lewis Atkinson, published by  Henry Graves, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14661

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Thomas Lewis Atkinson, published by Henry Graves, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1870
NPG D14661

Web image not currently available

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Caroline Watson, after Charles Sherriff
stipple engraving, circa 1800-1814
NPG D20341

Web image not currently available

'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

Web image not currently available

Sarah Siddons (née Kemble)

by Charles Turner, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1826 (1797)
NPG D4230

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