Early Georgian Portraits Catalogue
James Parsons (1705-1770), Physician and antiquary
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
A portrait by 'Wells' which belonged to the sitter's widow Elizabeth (d. 1786) and a conversation piece of Parsons and his wife with their son and Elizabeth's sister, are mentioned by J. Nichols [1] Neither of these nor the whole length of a Dr Parsons engraved by Dighton, [2] listed by A. E. Evans [3] has been traced.
The only appropriate artist recorded by the name of Wells is a miniaturist noted by Vertue in 1741. [4] A portrait of Mary Black-Hat was engraved by Wells after Wells and O'Donoghue also lists a portrait of Sir J. Burland engraved, 1778, by Wells after an unknown artist. The only other painter with a similar name is James Wills (see Thomas Birch, and William Stukeley, All Known Portraits).
1) Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, 1812, V, p 487.
2) Presumably Richard (1795-1880), son and pupil of Robert Dighton (c.1752-1814).
3) Catalogue of a Collection of Engraved Portraits [1829-34], I, p 263.
4) G. Vertue, Vertue Note Books (edited by The Earl of Ilchester), Walpole Society, 1930-55, III, p 101 and note.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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 only appropriate artist recorded by the name of Wells is a miniaturist noted by Vertue in 1741. [4] A portrait of Mary Black-Hat was engraved by Wells after Wells and O'Donoghue also lists a portrait of Sir J. Burland engraved, 1778, by Wells after an unknown artist. The only other painter with a similar name is James Wills (see Thomas Birch, and William Stukeley, All Known Portraits).
1) Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, 1812, V, p 487.
2) Presumably Richard (1795-1880), son and pupil of Robert Dighton (c.1752-1814).
3) Catalogue of a Collection of Engraved Portraits [1829-34], I, p 263.
4) G. Vertue, Vertue Note Books (edited by The Earl of Ilchester), Walpole Society, 1930-55, III, p 101 and note.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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.