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William Owen

(1769-1825), Painter

Artist associated with 98 portraits
Shropshire-born William Owen moved to London in 1786 and was apprenticed for seven years to the coach-painter Charles Catton. He was encouraged by Sir Joshua Reynolds to enter the Royal Academy Schools, which he did in 1791. His first work was exhibited at the Royal Academy in the following year and he continued to exhibit every nearly year until his death. Owen's work comprised mainly portraits and he built up a distinguished list of sitters including William Pitt, Lord Grenville and Sir John Soane. In 1810, Owen was appointed portrait painter to the Prince of Wales; the prince promised to sit for Owen but never did.

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Thomas John Dibdin, by and published by John Young, after  William Owen - NPG L269.B8.45

Thomas John Dibdin

by and published by John Young, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 14th February 1807
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B8.45

William Vincent, by George Perfect Harding, after  William Owen - NPG 2418

William Vincent

by George Perfect Harding, after William Owen
watercolour and bodycolour, before 1822, based on a work of 1811
NPG 2418

Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden, by John Hollins, after  William Owen - NPG 481

Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden

by John Hollins, after William Owen
oil on canvas, 1850, based on a work exhibited in 1819
NPG 481

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt, by James Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D37194

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt

by James Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1794 or after
NPG D37194

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt, by James Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D3544

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt

by James Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1794 or after
NPG D3544

William Pitt, by Charles Brome, after  William Owen - NPG D16448

William Pitt

by Charles Brome, after William Owen
line engraving, published 1799
NPG D16448

Beatrix Parker (née Lister), by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D39538

Beatrix Parker (née Lister)

by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, early 19th century (probably exhibited 1809)
NPG D39538

Cropley Ashley-Cooper, 6th Earl of Shaftesbury, by Thomas Hodgetts, after  William Owen - NPG D40660

Cropley Ashley-Cooper, 6th Earl of Shaftesbury

by Thomas Hodgetts, after William Owen
mezzotint, early 19th century
NPG D40660

John Sparrow, by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D41992

John Sparrow

by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, early 19th century
NPG D41992

Beatrix Parker (née Lister), by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D3804

Beatrix Parker (née Lister)

by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, early 19th century (probably exhibited 1809)
NPG D3804

Mrs Smith, by Henry Bone, after  William Owen - NPG D17313

Mrs Smith

by Henry Bone, after William Owen
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, September 1802 (circa 1800-1802)
NPG D17313

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt, by James Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D37195

Sir Robert Laurie, 5th Bt

by James Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1802 or after
NPG D37195

Mrs Wilson and Susan Sibbald (née Mein), by Henry Bone, after  William Owen - NPG D17295

Mrs Wilson and Susan Sibbald (née Mein)

by Henry Bone, after William Owen
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, September 1803 (exhibited 1802)
NPG D17295

Mrs Patterson, by Henry Bone, after  William Owen - NPG D17297

Mrs Patterson

by Henry Bone, after William Owen
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, August 1804 (exhibited 1804)
NPG D17297

William Pitt, by James Godby, after  William Owen - NPG D16446

William Pitt

by James Godby, after William Owen
stipple engraving printed in colours, published 1804
NPG D16446

Peter Winter, by and published by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D37064

Peter Winter

by and published by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1 February 1805
NPG D37064

William Pitt, by Francesco Bartolozzi, after  William Owen - NPG D5529

William Pitt

by Francesco Bartolozzi, after William Owen
line engraving, published 1806
NPG D5529

James Townley, by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D40062

James Townley

by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, circa 1810-1834
NPG D40062

James Townley, by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D40063

James Townley

by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, circa 1810-1834
NPG D40063

James Townley, by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D19786

James Townley

by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, circa 1810-1834
NPG D19786

Cyril Jackson, by and published by Charles Turner, published by and after  William Owen - NPG D36471

Cyril Jackson

by and published by Charles Turner, published by and after William Owen
mezzotint, published 14 February 1811 (1810)
NPG D36471

William Vincent, by and published by Charles Turner, after  William Owen - NPG D39259

William Vincent

by and published by Charles Turner, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 20 September 1811
NPG D39259

George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland, by Henry Meyer, published by  T. Cadell & W. Davies, after  John Wright, after  William Owen - NPG D20315

George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland

by Henry Meyer, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after John Wright, after William Owen
stipple engraving, published 2 December 1811
NPG D20315

Sir Alexander Thomson, by Henry Meyer, after  William Owen - NPG D40433

Sir Alexander Thomson

by Henry Meyer, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1812
NPG D40433

Nicholas Smith, by and published by William Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D41759

Nicholas Smith

by and published by William Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 21 November 1812
NPG D41759

Nicholas Smith, by William Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D41760

Nicholas Smith

by William Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1812
NPG D41760

Nicholas Smith, by William Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D41761

Nicholas Smith

by William Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1812
NPG D41761

Sir Alexander Thomson, by Henry Meyer, after  William Owen - NPG D4364

Sir Alexander Thomson

by Henry Meyer, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1812
NPG D4364

Shute Barrington, by and published by William Say, after  William Owen - NPG D644

Shute Barrington

by and published by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 20 July 1812
NPG D644

William Vincent, by Henry Meyer, published by  Rudolph Ackermann, after  William Owen - NPG D18736

William Vincent

by Henry Meyer, published by Rudolph Ackermann, after William Owen
stipple engraving, published 4 February 1812
NPG D18736

Andrew Bell, by Charles Turner, after  William Owen - NPG D31645

Andrew Bell

by Charles Turner, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1813
NPG D31645

John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon, by Henry Meyer, published by  Colnaghi & Co, after  William Owen - NPG D36138

John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon

by Henry Meyer, published by Colnaghi & Co, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1 May 1813
NPG D36138

Sir Joseph Radcliffe, Bt, by James Heath, after  William Owen - NPG D39159

Sir Joseph Radcliffe, Bt

by James Heath, after William Owen
line engraving, 1813 or after
NPG D39159

Sir William Domville, 1st Bt, by Philipp Audinet, after  William Owen - NPG D35345

Sir William Domville, 1st Bt

by Philipp Audinet, after William Owen
line engraving, 1814 or after
NPG D35345

Nicholas Vansittart, Baron Bexley, by William Ward, after  William Owen - NPG D31751

Nicholas Vansittart, Baron Bexley

by William Ward, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1815 or after
NPG D31751

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover, by and published by William Skelton, after  William Owen - NPG D33316

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover

by and published by William Skelton, after William Owen
line engraving, published 5 June 1815
NPG D33316

Sir Vicary Gibbs, by Samuel William Reynolds, by  Thomas Goff Lupton, published by  Colnaghi & Co, after  William Owen - NPG D34453

Sir Vicary Gibbs

by Samuel William Reynolds, by Thomas Goff Lupton, published by Colnaghi & Co, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 6 April 1815
NPG D34453

William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, by John Samuel Agar, after  John Wright, after  William Owen - NPG D34923

William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville

by John Samuel Agar, after John Wright, after William Owen
stipple engraving, 1815
NPG D34923

Phineas Pett, by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D40178

Phineas Pett

by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, (1815)
NPG D40178

William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, by John Samuel Agar, published by  T. Cadell & W. Davies, after  John Wright, after  William Owen - NPG D15489

William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville

by John Samuel Agar, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after John Wright, after William Owen
stipple engraving, published 1 March 1815
NPG D15489

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover, by and published by William Skelton, after  William Owen - NPG D15687

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover

by and published by William Skelton, after William Owen
line engraving, published 5 June 1815
NPG D15687

William Mackworth Praed, by Charles Turner, after  William Owen - NPG D40478

William Mackworth Praed

by Charles Turner, after William Owen
mezzotint, circa 1816
NPG D40478

William Mackworth Praed, by and published by Charles Turner, after  William Owen - NPG D40479

William Mackworth Praed

by and published by Charles Turner, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 28 March 1816
NPG D40479

Hugh Leycester, by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D37321

Hugh Leycester

by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1817
NPG D37321

James Walter Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam, by William Bone Sr, after  William Owen - NPG D17247

James Walter Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam

by William Bone Sr, after William Owen
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, August 1818 (exhibited 1817)
NPG D17247

James Walter Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam, by William Bone Sr, after  William Owen - NPG D17744

James Walter Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam

by William Bone Sr, after William Owen
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1818 (exhibited 1817)
NPG D17744

Edmund Isham, by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D36459

Edmund Isham

by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 10 December 1818
NPG D36459

William Jackson, by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D36462

William Jackson

by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 12 October 1818
NPG D36462

William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam, by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D36957

William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam

by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1818 (1817)
NPG D36957

William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam, by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D36958

William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam

by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1818 (1817)
NPG D36958

John Randolph, by and published for Henry Meyer, after  William Owen - NPG D39199

John Randolph

by and published for Henry Meyer, after William Owen
stipple engraving, published 18 July 1818
NPG D39199

John Parsons, by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D39556

John Parsons

by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, 1818
NPG D39556

William Howley, by Samuel William Reynolds, after  William Owen - NPG D3117

William Howley

by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Owen
mezzotint, published February 1818
NPG D3117

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Dr Barry Hoffbrand

26 February 2016, 19:31

The portrait of Sir Lionel Darell Bt (c 1804) in the Library and Museum of Freemasonry attributed to John Hoppner (In Art UK) is almost certainly by William Owen RA as recorded in the minutes of the Somerset House Lodge as it then was in 1803-6