John Philip Kemble
(1757-1823), ActorRegency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 41 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
On display in Room 19 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 49
attributed to Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil, circa 1800
NPG 2616
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
oil on canvas, 1812
On display in Room 19 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 6869
by John Gibson
bronze bust, 1814
NPG 149
possibly by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching, circa 1783
NPG D12964
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 John 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 James Heath, after George Chinnery
stipple engraving, published 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
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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