Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints
Photographs

Paintings, drawings, sculptures and printsback to top

1876
Oil on canvas by George Reid; see NPG 1377.
The best-known portrait of Samuel Smiles.
Etching, 182 x 122mm (plate size), by Paul Adolphe Rajon after Reid, 1879; colls Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/4; and c/o East Lothian Council, Museums Service. Refs letters from G. Reid to S. Smiles, Leeds Archives, WYL78/A/V/10, WYL78/A/V/67 and WYL78/A/V/96; see also Beraldi 1885–92, vol.11, 1891, no.173; Lee 1912; and Wickenden [1916], p.430. [1]
Oil on canvas by J. Michael Smiles after Reid, [2010]; coll. J. Michael Smiles, Fairfield, CT.

1878
Painting by George Reid, almost half-length, three quarters to left, head facing; untraced. ‘I sent off the little study of your head – painted for Mr [Joseph Goodwin] Kershaw – yesterday. It looks much better now it is “rubbed-up” and put under glass. I hope he will be pleased with it. You look just a little serious – but considering the experiences of the former sittings that is not to be [?]wondered at.’ [2]
Etching by Léon Richeton after Reid, signed in plate below image, 1880; lettered copy coll. NPG SB (Smiles). Two proofs before letters, Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/5 and WYL78/D/6. Refs letters from George Reid to Samuel Smiles, Leeds Archives, WYL78/A/V/111 to WYL78/A/V/115.

1879
Oil on canvas by George Reid, head-and-shoulders in roundel, head three-quarters to right, wearing black hat; SNPG, Edinburgh, PG 1243.

Two busts, one clay, one marble, by Antonio Rosetti, Rome; both untraced. ‘Another visit that I paid was to Rossetti’s[sic] studio. […] On parting, Rossetti pressed my hand with emotion to his beard, and asked me to do him the honour of sitting to him for my bust. I accordingly returned more than once, and Rossetti executed an admirable model of me in clay, and afterwards one in marble.’ [3] Ref. Lee 1912: ‘Rossetti[sic], an Italian sculptor, also executed a bust at Rome in 1879.’ [4]

c.1880
Painting by unidentified artist, possibly based on a photograph, half-length, three-quarters to right, with white whiskers; untraced. Repr. Green 1904, pp.7 (detail in roundel) and 23.

publ. 1882
Watercolour caricature drawing by Leslie Ward (‘Spy’), whole-length three-quarters to right, standing; untraced; Christie’s, 5 Mar. 1912 (709).
Chromolithograph by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son publ. Vanity Fair, 14 Jan. 1882 (captioned ‘Self Help’); copies colls NPG D44050; MEPL, London, 10054027; and Getty Images, 2673309 and 113439164.

1883
Oil on canvas by Guglielmo de Sanctis, signed, inscr. and dated by the artist ‘Roma 12 Aprile 1883’ and signed by Smiles, half-length to right in oval, gaze turned to viewer; untraced. [5] Ref. Lee 1912: ‘A sketch of Smiles at Rome by Guglielmo de Sancto in March 1889[sic]’. See photograph coll. NPG SB (Smiles). [6]
The earliest known image of Smiles with a moustache and beard and without the previously characteristic sideburns.

Pen and ink caricature drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne, signed and dated 6 July 1883, whole-length to left, seated, with a glass of champagne; untraced. Repr. Punch, 21 July 1883, p.34 (captioned ‘“Self-Help.” / By Smiles’); copies colls Getty Images, 113489918; and MEPL, London, 10054034.

1887
Pastel drawing by Louise Jopling; see NPG 1856.

later 1880s or 1890s?
Portrait by Sindrey, signed lower right, whole-length to left, seated in a conservatory, legs crossed, book on knee, wearing black velvet suit with a red handkerchief; untraced. Colour print Leeds Archives, WYL78/D7. For a reference to this favourite outfit, see Smiles 1956, p.165. [7]

1891
Oil on canvas by George Reid, signed with an ‘R’, inscr. and dated, head-and-shoulders, three-quarters to right; SNPG, Edinburgh, PG 631. Repr. S. Smiles, Character, Rockville, MD, 2009, cover.

exh. 1895
Portrait by Robert Ponsonby Staples; untraced. Exh. RSPP, London, 1895 (173).

c.1900–1904
Two watercolour sketches by ‘J. Smiles’:
(a) head three-quarters to right, wearing black skullcap; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/8.
(b) head, profile to left, wearing black skullcap; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/9.[8]


Undated portraits
Portrait by Theodore Blake Wirgman; untraced; coll. Mrs Alec Tweedie (1904). Ref. Green 1904, p.22: ‘an original and much valued portrait of the Doctor drawn by Blake Wirgman’.

Sketch by Ethel (Mrs Alec) Tweedie, given to Haddington L., E. Lothian; untraced. Ref. Smiles 1956, p.67.


Posthumous portraits

late 1960s–early 1970s
Pen and ink caricature by Nicolas Clerihew Bentley, whole-length to left, walking, walking stick in right hand, rubber ring in left hand (sheet of tissue covering drawing, with pencil inscr. ‘Samuel Smiles / suffered acutely from piles … Self-help was of little aid’; ‘SunTele Books’; and ‘21/4” x 4”’); BL, London, MS 81801, Eccles Bequest. Probably a drawing for Sunday Telegraph book review section, 1960s–70s; unclear if published.

Photographsback to top

c.1840
Daguerreotype by unidentified photographer, half-length, head turned three-quarters to left, right hand slipped into waistcoat; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘PN’, Strand, vol.2, 1891, p.368 (captioned ‘Age 28.’); copy MEPL, London, 10054204.

c.1859
Photograph by Samuel Alexander Walker, half-length, three-quarters to right, head turned to viewer; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘PN’, Strand, 1891, vol.2, p.368 (captioned ‘Age 47.’); copy MEPL, London, 10054205.

c.1860
Photograph by unidentified photographer (?Samuel Alexander Walker), whole-length, full-face, standing, right hand resting on pile of books; Getty Images, 2633463.

late 1860s
Albumen carte-de-visite by Samuel Alexander Walker (‘Late W. Walker & Sons’), head-and-shoulders three-quarters to right, head turned to viewer; colls NPG x22628; and MEPL, London, 10054029.

c.1870
Photograph by Samuel Alexander Walker, half-length to right, head turned to left, seated, holding book in left hand; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘PN’, Strand, vol.2, 1891, p.368 (captioned ‘Age 58.’); coll. MEPL, London, 10054207.

1879
Photograph by Paolo Mantegazza, Florence; ref. Smiles 1905, p.342: ‘[Professor Mantegazza] made a photograph of me, which, as some of my friends tell me, is ‘villainously like’.

c.1870s
Photograph by unidentified photographer, half-length, three-quarters to left, monocle hanging over waistcoat; repr. Green 1904, pp.7 (detail in roundel) and 13.
Print by unidentified artist, pose in reverse, with facsimile of sitter’s signature below image; coll. MEPL, London, 10540778.

1880
Photographs by Thomas Rodger, St Andrews, [9] three known poses:
(a) whole-length to right, seated, with daughter-in-law Lucy Smiles and four grandchildren; copy photo by ‘Henri’, Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/13; repr. Smiles 1956, facing p.160.
(b) cabinet card, whole-length, full-face, standing, left hand on hip, with daughter-in-law Sally Smiles and two grandchildren; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/14.
(c) cabinet card, head-and-shoulders three-quarters to left, flowers in buttonhole; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/10.

c.1881
Photographs by Samuel Alexander Walker, two known poses:
(a) cabinet card, half-length, head three-quarters to right; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/11.
(b) head-and-shoulders, turned further to right; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘PN’, Strand, vol.2, 1891, p.368 (captioned ‘Age 69.’); copy MEPL, London, 10054208.

c.1882
Photograph by Elliott & Fry, half-length, three-quarters to right; repr. Green 1904, pp.7 (detail in roundel) and 20.

publ. 1883
Photograph by J.H. Jackson, Leeds, head-and-shoulders to right; repr. as wood-engr. by unidentified engraver Christian Globe, 1 Mar. 1883, p.369.
Engraving by unidentified artist, with ornate oval surround, for unidentified publication; copy MEPL, London, 10054032. This shows Smiles with his mutton-chop whiskers and clean-shaven chin, the style he favoured until c.1883 (see above, ‘Paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints, 1883’).

1885
Platinum prints by Frederick Hollyer, three known poses:
(a) head-and-shoulders, looking three-quarters to right; Getty Images, 3068355.
(b) head-and-shoulders to left; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘C.K.’, Harper’s Monthly Magazine (European ed.), vol.15, May 1888, p.841; and see MEPL, London, 10054203.
(c) half-length to left, eyes lowered, reading book; copies NMM, Bradford; and Getty Images, 90762462.
A further platinum print relates to this sitting; V&A, London, 7690-1938.

1887
Carte-de-visite by C. Capitanio, Brescia, half-length to right, head turned to left; Leeds Archives, WYL78/D/12. Ref. Smiles 1956, p.162, visit to Brescia in Apr. 1887.

c.1890
Photograph by Henri Le Lieure de l’Aubepin, Rome, half-length, looking to right, with crossed arms; repr. as wood-engr. by ‘PN’, Strand, vol.2, 1891, p.368 (captioned ‘Age 78.’); copy MEPL, London, 10054210.

c.1900
Photograph by unidentified photographer, wearing skullcap; ref. Smiles 1956, p.194: ‘They had him photographed like this, with his skull-cap and patriarchal beard. It was dreadful, as if a sponge had been passed over his face, obliterating every expression except contentment.’

reg. 1903
Photograph by Carl Vandyk, seated; reg. for copyright 1903 Nov. 23: National Archives (COPY 3/186.199).

publ. 1904
Photographs by Elliott & Fry, two known poses:
(a) head-and-shoulders, three-quarters to right, head turned to viewer; repr. Green 1904, pp.8 and p.29 (detail in roundel); and obits in Graphic, 23 Apr. 1904, p.570; Black & White, 23 Apr. 1904, p.604; and ILN, 23 Apr. 1904, p.600 (details in roundel). The photograph may have been taken as early as the late 1880s: for its closeness to Jopling drawing, see above, ‘Paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints, 1887’.
Photogravure by Emery Walker with facsimile signature repr. Smiles 1905, frontispiece; and Jarvis 1997, facing p.80 (detail of head); see also Wikipedia.
The best-known photograph of Samuel Smiles.
(b) head-and-shoulders, three-quarters to left; repr. Green 1904, pp.7 and 29 (head only in roundel).

undated photograph
Photograph by unidentified photographer, head-and-shoulders almost profile to right; repr. as halftone with listing of literary works, unidentified publication, loose sheet coll NPG SB (Smiles).


Footnotes
1) ‘A French translation of Samuel Smiles’s “Self-Help” which I happen to possess contains an autograph dedication from the author to Rajon. It was presented while the etcher was doing the author’s portrait’; Wickenden [1916], p.430.
2) Letter from George Reid to Samuel Smiles, 29 Mar. 1878, Leeds Archives, WYL78/A/V/72. See also letter from G. Reid to S. Smiles, 4 Apr. 1878, Leeds Archives, WYL78/A/V/73: ‘I am glad Mr Kershaw likes the portrait so much – I have asked 20 guineas – I would have liked to make him a present of it but the masons, plasterers and plumbers have made me poor – and I cannot yield to my inclinations at present.’
3) Smiles 1905, p.332. ‘Before I may forget Sir Rossetti is executing your Portrait Bust in the very best Carrara marble’; letter from F. Ceccarini to S. Smiles, Rome, 18 July 1879, Leeds Archives, WYL78/A/IX/35.
4) Rosetti also sculpted a figure, Self-Help (c.1879); see letter from S. Smiles to John Murray, 30 Mar. 1879, John Murray Archive, NLS, Edinburgh.
5) The painting was executed in four sittings. Smiles described it as ‘a very spirited sketch’; Smiles 1905, pp.411–12.
6) The photograph was presented to the NPG Archive and Library, 26 May 1923, by Ida Livoni, 79 via Due Macelli, Rome.
7) ‘Granpa hated [dress clothes]. He looked clean and sonsy in his black velvet jacket with the red hankerchief in his breast pocket, his four-in-hand tie, and pearl pin, and was comfortable’; Smiles 1956, p.165.
8) ‘Granpa now [c.1902] was only dressed when he went out for his drives. The rest of the day he spent in his dressing-gown and skull-cap, with a red rug over his knees’; Smiles 1956, p.192.
9) Smiles took a furnished house at Kinnessburn near St Andrews, summer 1880; Smiles 1905, p.347; and Smiles 1956, p.148.

Carol Blackett-Ord