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David Garrick

(1717-1779), Actor, playwright and theatre manager

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 61 portraits
Garrick was born in Hereford and grew up in Lichfield, Staffordshire. When Samuel Johnson opened his ill-fated school in 1735, Garrick was one of the few pupils. Perhaps recognising their mutual ambition, the two men travelled to London together in March 1737, taking turns to ride on their shared horse. Garrick first appeared on the London stage in 1741 and went on to achieve huge success as an actor, playwright and theatre manager, becoming the most celebrated theatrical personality of the eighteenth century. He was acclaimed for his naturalistic style and his versatility in both comic and tragic roles. He transformed what it meant to be an actor, no longer simply an entertainer but a pillar of British culture.

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David Garrick ('Garrick between Comedy and Tragedy'), by Edward Fisher, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D34376

David Garrick ('Garrick between Comedy and Tragedy')

by Edward Fisher, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint printed in colours, (1760-1761)
NPG D34376

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour'), by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed by  Robert Sayer, printed by  Carington Bowles, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D34382

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour')

by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed by Robert Sayer, printed by Carington Bowles, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1760-1761)
NPG D34382

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour'), by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed for  Robert Sayer, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D2420

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour')

by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed for Robert Sayer, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1760-1761)
NPG D2420

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour'), by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed for  Robert Sayer, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D19234

David Garrick ('Strive not Tragedy nor Comedy to Engross a Garrick, who to your Noblest Characters does Equal Honour')

by Richard Purcell (H. Fowler, Charles or Philip Corbutt), printed for Robert Sayer, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1760-1761)
NPG D19234

David Garrick, by Charles Spooner, after  Thomas Hudson - NPG D2419

David Garrick

by Charles Spooner, after Thomas Hudson
mezzotint, 1760s (1761)
NPG D2419

David Garrick, by Charles Spooner, published by  Robert Sayer, after  Benjamin Wilson - NPG D14163

David Garrick

by Charles Spooner, published by Robert Sayer, after Benjamin Wilson
mezzotint, published 1761
NPG D14163

David Garrick, by Valentine Green, published by  John Boydell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D34384

David Garrick

by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34384

David Garrick, by Valentine Green, published by  John Boydell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D34385

David Garrick

by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34385

David Garrick; William Shakespeare, by John Sebastian Miller (formerly Johann Sebastian Müller) - NPG D20571

David Garrick; William Shakespeare

by John Sebastian Miller (formerly Johann Sebastian Müller)
stipple engraving, published 1769
NPG D20571

possibly David Garrick, by Unknown artist - NPG D7035

possibly David Garrick

by Unknown artist
impression of seal, (late 18th century)
NPG D7035

David Garrick, by Thomas Watson, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D2421

David Garrick

by Thomas Watson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (circa 1775?)
NPG D2421

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, published by  George Kearsley, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D27967

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, published by George Kearsley, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1 November 1776
NPG D27967

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2743

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D2743

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2744

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D2744

David Garrick, by Robert Laurie, printed for and published by  James Stevens, after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D34374

David Garrick

by Robert Laurie, printed for and published by James Stevens, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 30 January 1779 (circa 1775?)
NPG D34374

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