Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue
George Stubbs (1724-1806), Painter and anatomist
- Gallery portraits
- All known portraits
- Biography and References
A survey of the engraved portraits of Stubbs is given in C. Lennox-Boyd, R. Dixon & T. Clayton, The Complete Engraved Works, 1989, p 379; a preliminary Stubbs iconography was published by B. Taylor, Apollo, LXXXI, May 1965, supp., pp 3-4.
c.1755
Painting, identified as a self portrait, miniature half-length oval, dark hair, wearing a light green coat. Christie’s, 26 March 1976, lot 82; lent to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 1984 (see Burlington Magazine, CXXVII, 1985, pp 67, 85, illus., as a self portrait). Undocumented and perhaps to be regarded with slight reservation; the black hair is unexpected, but the likeness seems unmistakeable and the pose is evidently that of a self portrait.
1769
Drawing by P-E. Falconet, medallion profile. Engraved D. P. Pariset 1769 (illus. C. Lennox-Boyd, R. Dixon & T. Clayton, The Complete Engraved Works, 1989, f.p.1); B. Reading 1792. A related wash drawing attributed to Falconet was sold Christie’s, 12 November 1968, lot 51.
c.1770?
Drawing, in the manner of George Dance, half-length seated at table etching. Royal Collection (illus. A. P. Oppé, English Drawings, Stuart and Georgian periods, in the Collection of His Majesty the King at Windsor Castle, 1950, p 39, no.169; Fearful Symmetry, George Stubbs, painter of the English Enlightenment, exhibition catalogue, Hall & Knight Ltd, New York, 2000, p 54). A drawing in the Oppé collection of a comparable head, now in the Tate Gallery (T 0857) attributed to Nathaniel Dance, appears not to show Stubbs (cf. Oppé, loc. cit.).
c.1773-75
Drawing by Thomas Orde, engraved in reverse by J. Bretherton, profile head, rather unhappily stuck on a three-quarter length seated figure painting with the left hand (illus. C. Lennox-Boyd, R. Dixon & T. Clayton, The Complete Engraved Works, 1989, p 3).
1777-79
Portrait by Ozias Humphry, three-quarter length standing, see NPG 1399.
1777
Drawing by Ozias Humphry, bust length, see NPG 1399.
1779
Enamel by W. H. Craft, half-length oval, his left hand resting on a portfolio, the pose identical to that in NPG 1399. Yale Center for British Art (B2001.2.72; illus. Fearful Symmetry, George Stubbs, painter of the English Enlightenment, exhibition catalogue, Hall & Knight Ltd, New York, 2000, p 186). The date of 1779 recorded in NPG archive from Appleby, 1953. See NPG 1399.
1781
Painting, enamel on Wedgwood biscuit earthenware, self portrait, see NPG 4575.
1782
Painting, enamel on Wedgwood biscuit earthenware, self portrait, mounted on a white hunter. Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight (illus. A. Kidson, Earlier British Paintings in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, 1999, pl.VI). Formerly called Josiah Wedgwood (cf. NPG 4575).
1794
Pastel by Ozias Humphry, half length. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (2442). Exhibited RA 1794 (374). Farington recorded Stubbs sitting to Humphry on 3 February 1794. Copied by H. Bone: preparatory drawing dated 1810 in the NPG Bone albums (R. Walker, 'Henry Bone's Pencil Drawings in the National Portrait Gallery', Wal. Soc., LXI, 1999, no.499, fig.154) and enamel, exhibited RA 1811 (321), Burdett-Coutts sale, Christie’s, 3rd day, 11 May 1922, lot 422.
Drawing by George Dance, profile bust, dated 8 February 1794. Royal Academy. Engraved W. Daniell 1802; tracing by Daniell in the Yale Center for British Art (B1977.14.6145).
1801
Painting by Thomas Stewart, exhibited RA 1801 (98 Mr Stubbs), presumably George Stubbs.
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.
c.1755
Painting, identified as a self portrait, miniature half-length oval, dark hair, wearing a light green coat. Christie’s, 26 March 1976, lot 82; lent to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 1984 (see Burlington Magazine, CXXVII, 1985, pp 67, 85, illus., as a self portrait). Undocumented and perhaps to be regarded with slight reservation; the black hair is unexpected, but the likeness seems unmistakeable and the pose is evidently that of a self portrait.
1769
Drawing by P-E. Falconet, medallion profile. Engraved D. P. Pariset 1769 (illus. C. Lennox-Boyd, R. Dixon & T. Clayton, The Complete Engraved Works, 1989, f.p.1); B. Reading 1792. A related wash drawing attributed to Falconet was sold Christie’s, 12 November 1968, lot 51.
c.1770?
Drawing, in the manner of George Dance, half-length seated at table etching. Royal Collection (illus. A. P. Oppé, English Drawings, Stuart and Georgian periods, in the Collection of His Majesty the King at Windsor Castle, 1950, p 39, no.169; Fearful Symmetry, George Stubbs, painter of the English Enlightenment, exhibition catalogue, Hall & Knight Ltd, New York, 2000, p 54). A drawing in the Oppé collection of a comparable head, now in the Tate Gallery (T 0857) attributed to Nathaniel Dance, appears not to show Stubbs (cf. Oppé, loc. cit.).
c.1773-75
Drawing by Thomas Orde, engraved in reverse by J. Bretherton, profile head, rather unhappily stuck on a three-quarter length seated figure painting with the left hand (illus. C. Lennox-Boyd, R. Dixon & T. Clayton, The Complete Engraved Works, 1989, p 3).
1777-79
Portrait by Ozias Humphry, three-quarter length standing, see NPG 1399.
1777
Drawing by Ozias Humphry, bust length, see NPG 1399.
1779
Enamel by W. H. Craft, half-length oval, his left hand resting on a portfolio, the pose identical to that in NPG 1399. Yale Center for British Art (B2001.2.72; illus. Fearful Symmetry, George Stubbs, painter of the English Enlightenment, exhibition catalogue, Hall & Knight Ltd, New York, 2000, p 186). The date of 1779 recorded in NPG archive from Appleby, 1953. See NPG 1399.
1781
Painting, enamel on Wedgwood biscuit earthenware, self portrait, see NPG 4575.
1782
Painting, enamel on Wedgwood biscuit earthenware, self portrait, mounted on a white hunter. Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight (illus. A. Kidson, Earlier British Paintings in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, 1999, pl.VI). Formerly called Josiah Wedgwood (cf. NPG 4575).
1794
Pastel by Ozias Humphry, half length. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (2442). Exhibited RA 1794 (374). Farington recorded Stubbs sitting to Humphry on 3 February 1794. Copied by H. Bone: preparatory drawing dated 1810 in the NPG Bone albums (R. Walker, 'Henry Bone's Pencil Drawings in the National Portrait Gallery', Wal. Soc., LXI, 1999, no.499, fig.154) and enamel, exhibited RA 1811 (321), Burdett-Coutts sale, Christie’s, 3rd day, 11 May 1922, lot 422.
Drawing by George Dance, profile bust, dated 8 February 1794. Royal Academy. Engraved W. Daniell 1802; tracing by Daniell in the Yale Center for British Art (B1977.14.6145).
1801
Painting by Thomas Stewart, exhibited RA 1801 (98 Mr Stubbs), presumably George Stubbs.
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.