Early Georgian Portraits Catalogue

The only individual portrait was John Ellys's painting of Walker as Macheath, 1728, engraved by Faber. He painted a companion portrait of Lavinia Fenton (later Duchess of Leeds) as Polly Peachum, also engraved by Faber. Both are now known only by the engravings. Walker is the central figure in Hogarth's 'Beggar's Opera', of which as many as six versions were painted 1728-c.1731. The detail [Editor’s note, 2014: not reproduced here] is from the highly finished replica, still incomplete early in 1731, painted for Sir Archibald Grant, and now in the Tate Gallery. The versions are discussed in detail by Paulson who draws attention to elements of caricature and iconography. [1] The portrait content nevertheless remains high.

1) R. Paulson, Hogarth: His Life, Art and Times, 1971, I, pp 180-93, pls 61-64; L. Gowing, 'Hogarth', exhibition catalogue, Tate Gallery, 1971, nos 44-47.


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.