Sir John Vanbrugh

Overview
Extended Catalogue Entry

Sir John Vanbrugh

by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
oil on canvas, circa 1705
36 in. x 28 in. (914 mm x 711 mm)
Given by the Art Fund, 1945
Primary Collection
NPG 3231

Sitterback to top

Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726), Architect and dramatist. Sitter in 11 portraits.

Artistback to top

Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (1646-1723), Portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 1686 portraits, Sitter associated with 30 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Both Kneller and the architect and dramatist John Vanbrugh were members of the Kit-cat Club, a club established by the publisher Jacob Tonson, which originally met in a tavern near Temple Bar kept by Christopher Cat and from 1703 onwards sometimes met in Tonson's house at Barn Elms near Putney. It was essentially a drinking club but, as often happens in clubs, attracted a group of like-minded individuals united by politics (they were almost all Whigs) and by intellectual and artistic interests. So this portrait is not only a record of a great architect, painted when he was at the height of his career, presumably soon after he received the commission to design Blenheim Palace, but also a record of friendship between the painter and the sitter.

Related worksback to top

NPG D11513: Sir John Vanbrugh (source portrait)
NPG D20308: Sir John Vanbrugh (source portrait)
NPG D33121: Sir John Vanbrugh (source portrait)

Linked publicationsback to top

Smartify image discovery app
The British Portrait, 1660-1960, 1991, p. 115 number 104
Ingamells, John, Later Stuart Portraits 1685-1714, 2009, p. 304
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 81
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 81 Read entry
Both Kneller and the architect and dramatist John Vanbrugh were members of the Kit-Cat Club, a club established by the publisher Jacob Tonson, which originally met in a tavern near Temple Bar kept by Christopher Cat and from 1703 onwards sometimes met in Tonson's house at Barn Elms near Putney. It was essentially a drinking club but, as often happens in clubs, attracted a group of like-minded individuals united by politics (they were almost all Whigs) and by intellectual and artistic interests. So this portrait is not only a record of a great architect, painted when he was at the height of his career, presumably soon after he received the commission to design Blenheim Palace, but also a record of friendship between the painter and sitter.
Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 629
Schama, Simon, The Face of Britain: The Nation Through its Portraits, 2015-09-15, p. 78

Portrait setback to top

The Kit-cat Club portraits: paintings by Sir Godfrey Kneller, circa 1697-1721

Subjects & Themesback to top

Oil
Painting

Events of 1705back to top

Current affairs

The Act for the Naturalization of Princess Sophia, Electress of Hanover, following the Act of Settlement, 1701, ensures Sophia and her descendants, if Protestant, would succeed to the throne.
The passing of the Alien Act in Parliament deems any Scot in England to be a foreign subject.

Art and science

Astronomer, Edmond Halley, publishes his celebrated work Synopsis astronomia cometicae.
Architect, Sir John Vanbrugh is appointed to design Blenheim Palace, a gift from the queen to John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his victory against the French at Blindheim, Bavaria.

International

Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough having recently been appointed admiral alongside Sir Cloudesley Shovell, sails from England to fight a successful, though controversial campaign in Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession.

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