Regency Portraits Catalogue
Charles Mathews (1776-1835), Comedian
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
Lillian Hall, Catalogue of Dramatic Portraits in … Harvard College Library lists 125 engraved portraits mostly in character parts (some examples are in British Museum and NPG).
The main portraits out of character are:
1804
By De Wilde exhibited RA 1804 (509) and engraved T. Priscott 'from an original drawing ... in the Collection of James St Aubyn Esq'.
1811
Miniature by A. Dunn exhibited RA 1811 (673).
1814
Drawing by Harlow (NPG 3097a).
c.1818
Oil by Drummond engraved Meyer for The European Magazine, 1 May 1818, half-length vignette seated with arms folded; this was lent to Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (365) by his son Charles James Mathews and in Burdett-Coutts sale Christie's 4 May 1922 (19).
1822
Plaster bust by Samuel Joseph (NPG 1710).
1825
Oil by Minasi exhibited RA 1825 (732).
c.1825
Oil attributed to Clint (NPG 1734).
Drawing by Wageman engraved Woolnoth for The Ladies’ Monthly Museum, June 1825.
1827
Oil by Lonsdale in the Garrick Club, exhibited RA 1827 (192) and mezzotint by Charles Turner published November 1826 (Alfred Whitman, Charles Turner, 1907, 361).
c.1830
Various drawings by Landseer (NPG 3097(2-4)).
1833
Oil by Masquerier 'Painted 1833, the last he sat for', engraved Brown as plate to his Memoirs, vol.IV, exhibited Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (269) lent by Mrs Mathews and in Burdett-Coutts sale Christie's 4 May 1922 (56); a chalk drawing of the head only was in Burdett-Coutts collection, reproduced Connoisseur, LII, September 1918, p 12.
In character
Several portraits of Mathews in character parts are in the Garrick Club, which also possesses Mathews's own collection of theatrical portraits.
A small collection of watercolour drawings by De Lamotte and De Wilde in the Maugham collection are reproduced in the Guide, 1981.
Posthumous
Memorial tablet by W. Brown in St Andrew's Church, Plymouth.
Doubtful
For NPG 1524, formerly called Charles Mathews, see Unknown Man.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, 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.
The main portraits out of character are:
1804
By De Wilde exhibited RA 1804 (509) and engraved T. Priscott 'from an original drawing ... in the Collection of James St Aubyn Esq'.
1811
Miniature by A. Dunn exhibited RA 1811 (673).
1814
Drawing by Harlow (NPG 3097a).
c.1818
Oil by Drummond engraved Meyer for The European Magazine, 1 May 1818, half-length vignette seated with arms folded; this was lent to Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (365) by his son Charles James Mathews and in Burdett-Coutts sale Christie's 4 May 1922 (19).
1822
Plaster bust by Samuel Joseph (NPG 1710).
1825
Oil by Minasi exhibited RA 1825 (732).
c.1825
Oil attributed to Clint (NPG 1734).
Drawing by Wageman engraved Woolnoth for The Ladies’ Monthly Museum, June 1825.
1827
Oil by Lonsdale in the Garrick Club, exhibited RA 1827 (192) and mezzotint by Charles Turner published November 1826 (Alfred Whitman, Charles Turner, 1907, 361).
c.1830
Various drawings by Landseer (NPG 3097(2-4)).
1833
Oil by Masquerier 'Painted 1833, the last he sat for', engraved Brown as plate to his Memoirs, vol.IV, exhibited Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (269) lent by Mrs Mathews and in Burdett-Coutts sale Christie's 4 May 1922 (56); a chalk drawing of the head only was in Burdett-Coutts collection, reproduced Connoisseur, LII, September 1918, p 12.
In character
Several portraits of Mathews in character parts are in the Garrick Club, which also possesses Mathews's own collection of theatrical portraits.
A small collection of watercolour drawings by De Lamotte and De Wilde in the Maugham collection are reproduced in the Guide, 1981.
Posthumous
Memorial tablet by W. Brown in St Andrew's Church, Plymouth.
Doubtful
For NPG 1524, formerly called Charles Mathews, see Unknown Man.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, 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.