Early Georgian Portraits Catalogue
Samuel Richardson (1689-1761), Novelist
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
A small whole length on copper ascribed to Mason Chamberlin, executed perhaps a little before the Highmore types and on comparison with them certainly authentic, shows the sitter writing as described in The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, ed. L. Barbauld, 1804 'upon a little board, which he held in his hand'. [1] A version sold from the collection of Arthur George, 3rd Earl of Onslow (d. 1870), Christie's, 22 July 1893, lot 6, may have been painted for his great-grandfather Speaker Arthur Onslow (q.v.) through whose influence Richardson was entrusted with printing the 'Journals' of the House of Commons. First engraved when in Lord Onslow's collection by Scriven, 1811, the portrait was acquired at the Rosebery sale, Christie's, 5 May 1939, lot 32, by C. J. Sawyer of Grafton Street whose subsequent catalogue listed it as signed. [Editor's note, 2014: the portrait now National Portrait Gallery.] A poor version in the Neeld sale, Christie's, 13 July 1945, lot 93, is presumably the portrait exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery, 1889 (31) as by Hogarth.
A group portrait with the family of his second wife and Elizabeth Midwinter, afterwards Lady Gosling, [2] although at one time thought to be by Highmore, [3] is on stylistic grounds clearly by Hayman. [4] The picture is owned by Brigadier O. J. Peck by descent through P. W. Peck, great-grandson of Richardson's eldest daughter Mary. Richardson appears in 'The Company at Tunbridge Wells', 1748, by 'Loggan the dwarf', [5] a painting carefully preserved by him and later by his daughter Anne in whose collection it remained until her death. A little sketch by Susanna Highmore, daughter of the artist, now in the Pierpont Morgan Library shows Richardson in the grotto of his house at North End reading the manuscript of Sir Charles Grandison to his friends Thomas Mulso junior, Edward and Hester Mulso (afterwards Mrs John Chapone junior), Mary Prescott, John Duncombe and the artist herself, Susanna (later Mrs Duncombe).
An engraving by McArdell accepted as correctly named by Chaloner Smith (153) is questioned by Goodwin [6] who suggests Zachary Hamlyn (1678-1759). The portrait of this sitter by Highmore, formerly at Clovelly Court, Devon, was destroyed when the house was burnt down in 1789. [7] The engraving does not closely resemble Richardson and is dated 1752 - two years after the payment of £15 15s referred to above.
1) The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, ed. L. Barbauld, 1804, I, p cxci.
2) Her husband Francis (afterwards Sir Francis) Gosling, whom she married 12 November 1742, was a bookseller and a partner in the firm with whom Richardson banked - J. C. Duncan Eaves and B. D. Kimpel, Samuel Richardson, 1971, p 160.
3) Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association, XVIII, 1886, pp 109-11.
4) J. C. Duncan Eaves and B. D. Kimpel, Samuel Richardson, 1971, pl.3, as c.1741.
5) The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, ed. L. Barbauld, 1804, III, frontispiece; see also VI, p 316.
6) G. Goodwin, James McArdell, 1903, pp 31-32.
7) Exhibited 'The Works of James McArdell', Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1886 (44).
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.
A group portrait with the family of his second wife and Elizabeth Midwinter, afterwards Lady Gosling, [2] although at one time thought to be by Highmore, [3] is on stylistic grounds clearly by Hayman. [4] The picture is owned by Brigadier O. J. Peck by descent through P. W. Peck, great-grandson of Richardson's eldest daughter Mary. Richardson appears in 'The Company at Tunbridge Wells', 1748, by 'Loggan the dwarf', [5] a painting carefully preserved by him and later by his daughter Anne in whose collection it remained until her death. A little sketch by Susanna Highmore, daughter of the artist, now in the Pierpont Morgan Library shows Richardson in the grotto of his house at North End reading the manuscript of Sir Charles Grandison to his friends Thomas Mulso junior, Edward and Hester Mulso (afterwards Mrs John Chapone junior), Mary Prescott, John Duncombe and the artist herself, Susanna (later Mrs Duncombe).
An engraving by McArdell accepted as correctly named by Chaloner Smith (153) is questioned by Goodwin [6] who suggests Zachary Hamlyn (1678-1759). The portrait of this sitter by Highmore, formerly at Clovelly Court, Devon, was destroyed when the house was burnt down in 1789. [7] The engraving does not closely resemble Richardson and is dated 1752 - two years after the payment of £15 15s referred to above.
1) The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, ed. L. Barbauld, 1804, I, p cxci.
2) Her husband Francis (afterwards Sir Francis) Gosling, whom she married 12 November 1742, was a bookseller and a partner in the firm with whom Richardson banked - J. C. Duncan Eaves and B. D. Kimpel, Samuel Richardson, 1971, p 160.
3) Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association, XVIII, 1886, pp 109-11.
4) J. C. Duncan Eaves and B. D. Kimpel, Samuel Richardson, 1971, pl.3, as c.1741.
5) The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, ed. L. Barbauld, 1804, III, frontispiece; see also VI, p 316.
6) G. Goodwin, James McArdell, 1903, pp 31-32.
7) Exhibited 'The Works of James McArdell', Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1886 (44).
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.