Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
Rowland Hill (1744-1833), Evangelical preacher
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
c.1765-70
Anon. engraving, half-length oval standing preaching his arms raised, lettered Rowland Hill M.A. of the University of Cambridge.
c.1770-75
Anon. engraving, pub. Carrington Bowles, three-quarter length standing preaching in open fields.
1773
Anon. engraving, bust-length profile, pub. Carington Bowles 1773 (J. C. Smith, British Mezzotint Portraits, IV, p 1732, no.83). Deriving from this head, a reduced anon. plate for the Gospel Mag. 1774, and the New Spiritual Mag. 1784.
1774
Drawn (‘from the life’) and engraved by J. Wilson, half-length standing.
c.1780-83
Pastels by John Russell, see NPG 1464.
before 1791
Unattributed miniature, bust-length oval. Royal Collection (R. J. B. Walker, The eighteenth and early nineteenth century Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1992, no.257). Engraved anon. 1791, lettered Minister of the Gospel Surry Chapel (Christian Mag.). Closely related to the head by Russell NPG 1464.
1792
Drawing by I. Lovelace, three-quarter length seated, a paper in his left hand, engraved Springsguth 1792. The head related to a bust-length oval I. Lovelace del. et sculpt. 1790.
1798
Etching by J. Kay, half-length oval, preaching (A Series of Original Portraits of caricature etchings, by the late John Kay, with biographical sketches and anecdotes, 1842, I, p 333). Looking older than his years; taken on the occasion of Hill’s first visit to Scotland (he returned in 1799 and 1824).
1799
Painting by Theophilus Clarke, half length in gown and bands, engraved W. Bond 1799 (illus. J. T. Smith, A Book for a Rainy Day, ed. W. Whitten, 1905, f.p.161).
1802
Painting by Joseph Robinson, half length in civilian dress, exhibited RA 1802 (803). Engraved R. M. Meadows 1803, the book inscribed Village Dialogues [published 1801]. A similar head with longer hair, wearing gown and bands, engraved S. Freeman 1815.
c.1807
Pastel by James Sharples, profile head. Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery (Cat. of the Sharples Coll., Bristol, 1910, no.40). Ellen Sharples recorded in January 1808 copying her husband’s portrait of Hill ‘lately executed’; there had been ‘many copies previosuly done of him’ (K. McC. Knox, The Sharples, 1930, p 119).
1808
Bust-length oval profile, within a view of the Wotton Chapel drawn by J. Ker; engraved J. Barlow 1808; J. Chapman.
1811
Wax by T. R. Poole. Sotheby’s, 10 June 1993, lot 229. See also 1820 below.
1814
Painting by Michael Keeling, half length in gown and bands. Exhibited Second special exhibition of National Portraits (William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867 (57) lent by the 2nd Viscount Hill. A related reversed engraving by T. Blood 1813.
Painting by Samuel Drummond, exhibited RA 1815 (289). Engraved T. Blood 1814; J. Jenkins, half length in gown and bands.
1817
Drawing by John Linnell, half-length seated, engraved S. Freeman 1817. Linnell’s diary records this drawing and a duplicate in 1817 (see D. Linnell, The Life of John Linnell, 1994, p 386).
1820
Wax by T. R. Poole. Sotheby’s, 21 October 1968, lot 99. See also 1811 above.
1822
Painting by William Derby, half-length seated in gown and bands, exhibited RA 1822 (548). Engraved S. Freeman 1825 and 1831, the earlier probably the print in circulation during the winter of 1826-27 which ‘met with so large a share of the public approbation that I fear the print recently published by you will meet with a dull sale, at least in this metropolis’ (see E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, p 330).
1827
Drawing by M. Rebecca Sheppard [M. R. S], three-quarter length seated, engraved J. Linnell. Hill told Miss Sheppard ‘you have hit me off very correctly’ (see E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, pp 326-30).
1828
Painting by S. M. Smith, see NPG 5397.
1829
Bust by N. Palmer, exhibited RA 1829 (1169).
1833
Bust by R. Harper, exhibited Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street, London, 1833 (838).
Anon. medal, draped bust (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.1650).
Death mask by J. S. Deville. ‘One of the most beautiful casts I ever saw was taken of [Hill] after his decease, by the well-known phrenologist Deville, ... this beautiful bust, in possession of the celebrated phrenologist ... made an indelible impression on my memory’ (E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, pp 404-05).
c.1833
‘Drawn from Life & on stone by G. M. Z.’, medallion head to left in gown and bands, inscribed: ... Obiit 11th April 1833 aetat 89 years.
c.1850
Unattributed bust, see NPG 1401.
Undated
Portrait bust from the Coade manufactory (R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1968 ed., p 106).
Doubtful Portraits
Painting attributed to Opie, small seated half length, with long white hair, Sotheby’s, 9 May 1951, lot 60 (cf. J. J. Rogers, John Opie and his Works, 1878, p 109); pastel, Sotheby’s, Summers Place, 10 February 1998, lot 1175; painting by John Downman, exhibited RA 1804 (448), described as Rev Mr Hill aet 94 1803 (G. C. Williamson, The History of Portrait Miniatures, 1904, p.lx); half-length figure by Charles Harris, see Statues of Charles Harris 1985 (photocopy in National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London); engraving by H. Brocas (1762-1837), listed by W. Strickland, Dictionary of Irish Artists, 1913, I, p 90.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.
Anon. engraving, half-length oval standing preaching his arms raised, lettered Rowland Hill M.A. of the University of Cambridge.
c.1770-75
Anon. engraving, pub. Carrington Bowles, three-quarter length standing preaching in open fields.
1773
Anon. engraving, bust-length profile, pub. Carington Bowles 1773 (J. C. Smith, British Mezzotint Portraits, IV, p 1732, no.83). Deriving from this head, a reduced anon. plate for the Gospel Mag. 1774, and the New Spiritual Mag. 1784.
1774
Drawn (‘from the life’) and engraved by J. Wilson, half-length standing.
c.1780-83
Pastels by John Russell, see NPG 1464.
before 1791
Unattributed miniature, bust-length oval. Royal Collection (R. J. B. Walker, The eighteenth and early nineteenth century Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1992, no.257). Engraved anon. 1791, lettered Minister of the Gospel Surry Chapel (Christian Mag.). Closely related to the head by Russell NPG 1464.
1792
Drawing by I. Lovelace, three-quarter length seated, a paper in his left hand, engraved Springsguth 1792. The head related to a bust-length oval I. Lovelace del. et sculpt. 1790.
1798
Etching by J. Kay, half-length oval, preaching (A Series of Original Portraits of caricature etchings, by the late John Kay, with biographical sketches and anecdotes, 1842, I, p 333). Looking older than his years; taken on the occasion of Hill’s first visit to Scotland (he returned in 1799 and 1824).
1799
Painting by Theophilus Clarke, half length in gown and bands, engraved W. Bond 1799 (illus. J. T. Smith, A Book for a Rainy Day, ed. W. Whitten, 1905, f.p.161).
1802
Painting by Joseph Robinson, half length in civilian dress, exhibited RA 1802 (803). Engraved R. M. Meadows 1803, the book inscribed Village Dialogues [published 1801]. A similar head with longer hair, wearing gown and bands, engraved S. Freeman 1815.
c.1807
Pastel by James Sharples, profile head. Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery (Cat. of the Sharples Coll., Bristol, 1910, no.40). Ellen Sharples recorded in January 1808 copying her husband’s portrait of Hill ‘lately executed’; there had been ‘many copies previosuly done of him’ (K. McC. Knox, The Sharples, 1930, p 119).
1808
Bust-length oval profile, within a view of the Wotton Chapel drawn by J. Ker; engraved J. Barlow 1808; J. Chapman.
1811
Wax by T. R. Poole. Sotheby’s, 10 June 1993, lot 229. See also 1820 below.
1814
Painting by Michael Keeling, half length in gown and bands. Exhibited Second special exhibition of National Portraits (William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867 (57) lent by the 2nd Viscount Hill. A related reversed engraving by T. Blood 1813.
Painting by Samuel Drummond, exhibited RA 1815 (289). Engraved T. Blood 1814; J. Jenkins, half length in gown and bands.
1817
Drawing by John Linnell, half-length seated, engraved S. Freeman 1817. Linnell’s diary records this drawing and a duplicate in 1817 (see D. Linnell, The Life of John Linnell, 1994, p 386).
1820
Wax by T. R. Poole. Sotheby’s, 21 October 1968, lot 99. See also 1811 above.
1822
Painting by William Derby, half-length seated in gown and bands, exhibited RA 1822 (548). Engraved S. Freeman 1825 and 1831, the earlier probably the print in circulation during the winter of 1826-27 which ‘met with so large a share of the public approbation that I fear the print recently published by you will meet with a dull sale, at least in this metropolis’ (see E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, p 330).
1827
Drawing by M. Rebecca Sheppard [M. R. S], three-quarter length seated, engraved J. Linnell. Hill told Miss Sheppard ‘you have hit me off very correctly’ (see E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, pp 326-30).
1828
Painting by S. M. Smith, see NPG 5397.
1829
Bust by N. Palmer, exhibited RA 1829 (1169).
1833
Bust by R. Harper, exhibited Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street, London, 1833 (838).
Anon. medal, draped bust (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.1650).
Death mask by J. S. Deville. ‘One of the most beautiful casts I ever saw was taken of [Hill] after his decease, by the well-known phrenologist Deville, ... this beautiful bust, in possession of the celebrated phrenologist ... made an indelible impression on my memory’ (E. Sidney, Life of Rev Rowland Hill, 1834, pp 404-05).
c.1833
‘Drawn from Life & on stone by G. M. Z.’, medallion head to left in gown and bands, inscribed: ... Obiit 11th April 1833 aetat 89 years.
c.1850
Unattributed bust, see NPG 1401.
Undated
Portrait bust from the Coade manufactory (R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1968 ed., p 106).
Doubtful Portraits
Painting attributed to Opie, small seated half length, with long white hair, Sotheby’s, 9 May 1951, lot 60 (cf. J. J. Rogers, John Opie and his Works, 1878, p 109); pastel, Sotheby’s, Summers Place, 10 February 1998, lot 1175; painting by John Downman, exhibited RA 1804 (448), described as Rev Mr Hill aet 94 1803 (G. C. Williamson, The History of Portrait Miniatures, 1904, p.lx); half-length figure by Charles Harris, see Statues of Charles Harris 1985 (photocopy in National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London); engraving by H. Brocas (1762-1837), listed by W. Strickland, Dictionary of Irish Artists, 1913, I, p 90.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.