Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
Augustus Keppel, Viscount Keppel (1725-1786), Admiral
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
c.1745
Unattributed miniature, bust-length oval in captain’s uniform. Bathurst Collection 1920 (illus. Bathurst Miniatures, n.d., no.13; NPG archive).
1749
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing in Captain’s undress uniform. National Maritime Museum (BHC 2821; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1036).
1752-53
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, whole length in Captain’s undress uniform (but with grey facings). National Maritime Museum (BHC 2823; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1037). First engraved by E. Fisher 1759 and J. Collyer 1786. According to Northcote the setting referred to the wreck of Keppel’s ship, the Maidstone, off the Britanny coast in 1747 (see Mannings, loc. cit., and T. Keppel, The Life of Augustus Viscount Keppel, 1842, I, pp 95-96, 146-47).
1759
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing, wearing a flag officer’s undress uniform. Woburn Abbey (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1038). The Duke of Bedford was Keppel’s brother-in-law. An autograph version, showing a captain’s uniform, is in a private collection (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1039); engraved E. Fisher 1760; E. Harding (half length) 1802; H. T. Ryall 1833.
1762
Painting by Francis Hayman, The Triumph of Britannia, with a medallion portrait of Keppel. Destroyed (B. Allen, Francis Hayman, 1987, nos.79, 98), painted for Vauxhall Gardens. Engraved S. Ravenet 1765.
1765
Pastel by Francis Cotes, bust-length oval in flag officer’s undress uniform. Private collection (E. M. Johnson, Francis Cotes, 1976, fig.57). Exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1765 (21).
c.1765
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 5572.
1776
Painting by George Romney, half length in dark blue coat with gold piping. Goodwood. Engraved W. Dickinson 1779 (from the original in the possession of the Duke of Richmond); W. Ridley 1802 (oval). A copy exhibited Third and concluding exhibition of National Portraits (fortieth year of the reign of George the third to MDCCCLXVII), South Kensington, 1868 (846) lent by the Rev W. A. W. Keppel, sold Sotheby’s, 24 June 1931, lot 89. A version showing a flag officer’s undress uniform sold Parke-Bernet, 24 March 1938, lot 52.
1777
Marble bust by Giuseppe Ceracchi, draped, all’antica. Belvoir Castle. Exhibited RA 1777 (51) and considered ‘extremely like’ by Walpole. Engraved R. S. Marcuard 1782. Another dated 1779 was at Wentworth Woodhouse.
Following Keppel’s acquittal on 11 February 1779 the portrait of this popular naval hero was in great demand.
1779
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 179.
Painting by Robert Stewart, bust-length profile, engraved R. Stewart.
Wax portrait by Lewis Pingo, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (201).
Bust from the life by Thomas Scheemakers, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (148). A cast of a bust of Keppel was in his sale, 21 October 1805.
Three medallions by James Tassie:
a) with uniform coat and drape below. Cast in the Scottish NPG (PG 414). Engraved J. Caldwall 1779, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (34); re-issued 1782. A variant, with the truncation just below the neck, based on a gem engraved by Brown after the Tassie medallion (J. M. Gray , James and William Tassie, a biographical and critical sketch with a catalogue of their portrait medallions of modern personages, 1894, no.213), was presumably similar to the sulphur impression by William Brown, exhibited RA 1780 (238).
b) classical profile head to right, dated 1779 (cast in the Scottish NPG, PG 505).
c) classical profile head to left, the head looking older than in b) above (cast in the Scottish NPG, PG 519).
Wedgwood medallion, probably modelled by William Hackwood (illus. R. Reilly and G. Savage, Wedgwood the Portrait Medallions, 1973, p 205, and see R. Reilly, Wedgwood Jasper, 1994, p 341). Engraved anon. (Murray’s History of the American War).
Four medals (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, nos. 214-16, 221), evidently celebrating the acquittal of 11 February 1779, each bearing a bust-length portrait resembling heads of Keppel engraved Cook 1779 from a drawing by Daniel Dodd; I. H. and anon. plates of 1778.
Medal by Truels Lyng (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.220), apparently derived from the Wedgwood or Tassie pattern.
c.1780
Unattributed pastel, bust-length oval in flag officer’s undress uniform, sketched by Scharf in 1877 (NPG reference collection), when it belonged to a Mr Parker. G. C. Williamson, John Russell, 1894, p 148, listed an otherwise unknown (larger) pastel by John Russell, belonging to the Rev J. C. Jackson.
Pastel by H. D. Hamilton, bust-length oval. Private collection.
Marble bust, in flag officer’s undress uniform. Private collection. Exhibited Rule Britannia, Sotheby’s, January 1986 (136, attributed to Agostino Carlini).
1781-83
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing, in a red suit. Tate Gallery (N 886; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1048).
1782
Wax portrait by Lewis Pingo, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1782 (167).
Miniature by James Smith, exhibited RA 1782 (254).
‘a model of Lord Keppel’ by Thomas Scheemakers, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1782 (239).
c.1782
Wedgwood medallion, the face much fuller and the eyes smaller than the 1779 medallion (illus. Reilly 1972, p 206; see R. Reilly, Wedgwood Jasper, 1994, p 341).
1783
Painting by Benjamin Killingbeck, exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1783 (145).
Wax model by an unnamed artist, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1783 (387).
1784
Etching by J. Sayers, whole-length standing (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 6638).
1785
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, whole-length standing, in admiral’s full dress uniform. Royal Collection (Sir Oliver Millar, The Later Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, I, 1969, no.1024, pl.100; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1049). Engraved E. Scriven 1814 (head only). Half-length versions at Chequers, and sold Christie’s, 23-24 February 1989, lot 132.
Undated
Miniatures: bust-length oval, heavy features (Woburn Abbey; Sir George Scharf's Sketch Books, 110/22, 26); another exhibited SKM 1865 (1105) lent by the Rev W. A. W. Keppel.
Doubtful Portraits
Paintings: bust length, ‘aged 25 c.1770’, given by the Duke of Bedford to T. K. Keppel, was listed in The Grange, Old Buckenham, by Duleep Singh (Prince Duleep Singh, Portraits in Norfolk Houses, 1928, I, p 50); another attributed to George Knapton, three-quarter length standing in captain’s uniform, at Tapley Park, Devon, in 1931.
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.
Unattributed miniature, bust-length oval in captain’s uniform. Bathurst Collection 1920 (illus. Bathurst Miniatures, n.d., no.13; NPG archive).
1749
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing in Captain’s undress uniform. National Maritime Museum (BHC 2821; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1036).
1752-53
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, whole length in Captain’s undress uniform (but with grey facings). National Maritime Museum (BHC 2823; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1037). First engraved by E. Fisher 1759 and J. Collyer 1786. According to Northcote the setting referred to the wreck of Keppel’s ship, the Maidstone, off the Britanny coast in 1747 (see Mannings, loc. cit., and T. Keppel, The Life of Augustus Viscount Keppel, 1842, I, pp 95-96, 146-47).
1759
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing, wearing a flag officer’s undress uniform. Woburn Abbey (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1038). The Duke of Bedford was Keppel’s brother-in-law. An autograph version, showing a captain’s uniform, is in a private collection (D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1039); engraved E. Fisher 1760; E. Harding (half length) 1802; H. T. Ryall 1833.
1762
Painting by Francis Hayman, The Triumph of Britannia, with a medallion portrait of Keppel. Destroyed (B. Allen, Francis Hayman, 1987, nos.79, 98), painted for Vauxhall Gardens. Engraved S. Ravenet 1765.
1765
Pastel by Francis Cotes, bust-length oval in flag officer’s undress uniform. Private collection (E. M. Johnson, Francis Cotes, 1976, fig.57). Exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1765 (21).
c.1765
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 5572.
1776
Painting by George Romney, half length in dark blue coat with gold piping. Goodwood. Engraved W. Dickinson 1779 (from the original in the possession of the Duke of Richmond); W. Ridley 1802 (oval). A copy exhibited Third and concluding exhibition of National Portraits (fortieth year of the reign of George the third to MDCCCLXVII), South Kensington, 1868 (846) lent by the Rev W. A. W. Keppel, sold Sotheby’s, 24 June 1931, lot 89. A version showing a flag officer’s undress uniform sold Parke-Bernet, 24 March 1938, lot 52.
1777
Marble bust by Giuseppe Ceracchi, draped, all’antica. Belvoir Castle. Exhibited RA 1777 (51) and considered ‘extremely like’ by Walpole. Engraved R. S. Marcuard 1782. Another dated 1779 was at Wentworth Woodhouse.
Following Keppel’s acquittal on 11 February 1779 the portrait of this popular naval hero was in great demand.
1779
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, see NPG 179.
Painting by Robert Stewart, bust-length profile, engraved R. Stewart.
Wax portrait by Lewis Pingo, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (201).
Bust from the life by Thomas Scheemakers, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (148). A cast of a bust of Keppel was in his sale, 21 October 1805.
Three medallions by James Tassie:
a) with uniform coat and drape below. Cast in the Scottish NPG (PG 414). Engraved J. Caldwall 1779, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1779 (34); re-issued 1782. A variant, with the truncation just below the neck, based on a gem engraved by Brown after the Tassie medallion (J. M. Gray , James and William Tassie, a biographical and critical sketch with a catalogue of their portrait medallions of modern personages, 1894, no.213), was presumably similar to the sulphur impression by William Brown, exhibited RA 1780 (238).
b) classical profile head to right, dated 1779 (cast in the Scottish NPG, PG 505).
c) classical profile head to left, the head looking older than in b) above (cast in the Scottish NPG, PG 519).
Wedgwood medallion, probably modelled by William Hackwood (illus. R. Reilly and G. Savage, Wedgwood the Portrait Medallions, 1973, p 205, and see R. Reilly, Wedgwood Jasper, 1994, p 341). Engraved anon. (Murray’s History of the American War).
Four medals (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, nos. 214-16, 221), evidently celebrating the acquittal of 11 February 1779, each bearing a bust-length portrait resembling heads of Keppel engraved Cook 1779 from a drawing by Daniel Dodd; I. H. and anon. plates of 1778.
Medal by Truels Lyng (L. Brown, A Catalogue of British Historical Medals 1760-1960: The Accession of George III to the Death of William IV, 1980, no.220), apparently derived from the Wedgwood or Tassie pattern.
c.1780
Unattributed pastel, bust-length oval in flag officer’s undress uniform, sketched by Scharf in 1877 (NPG reference collection), when it belonged to a Mr Parker. G. C. Williamson, John Russell, 1894, p 148, listed an otherwise unknown (larger) pastel by John Russell, belonging to the Rev J. C. Jackson.
Pastel by H. D. Hamilton, bust-length oval. Private collection.
Marble bust, in flag officer’s undress uniform. Private collection. Exhibited Rule Britannia, Sotheby’s, January 1986 (136, attributed to Agostino Carlini).
1781-83
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, three-quarter length standing, in a red suit. Tate Gallery (N 886; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1048).
1782
Wax portrait by Lewis Pingo, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1782 (167).
Miniature by James Smith, exhibited RA 1782 (254).
‘a model of Lord Keppel’ by Thomas Scheemakers, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1782 (239).
c.1782
Wedgwood medallion, the face much fuller and the eyes smaller than the 1779 medallion (illus. Reilly 1972, p 206; see R. Reilly, Wedgwood Jasper, 1994, p 341).
1783
Painting by Benjamin Killingbeck, exhibited Society of Artists, London, 1783 (145).
Wax model by an unnamed artist, exhibited Free Society of Artists, London, 1783 (387).
1784
Etching by J. Sayers, whole-length standing (M. D. George, British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, VI, 6638).
1785
Painting by Joshua Reynolds, whole-length standing, in admiral’s full dress uniform. Royal Collection (Sir Oliver Millar, The Later Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, I, 1969, no.1024, pl.100; D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, I, 2000, no.1049). Engraved E. Scriven 1814 (head only). Half-length versions at Chequers, and sold Christie’s, 23-24 February 1989, lot 132.
Undated
Miniatures: bust-length oval, heavy features (Woburn Abbey; Sir George Scharf's Sketch Books, 110/22, 26); another exhibited SKM 1865 (1105) lent by the Rev W. A. W. Keppel.
Doubtful Portraits
Paintings: bust length, ‘aged 25 c.1770’, given by the Duke of Bedford to T. K. Keppel, was listed in The Grange, Old Buckenham, by Duleep Singh (Prince Duleep Singh, Portraits in Norfolk Houses, 1928, I, p 50); another attributed to George Knapton, three-quarter length standing in captain’s uniform, at Tapley Park, Devon, in 1931.
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.