23 OF 896 
George Morland
23 of 896 portraits matching these criteria:
- subject matching 'Making art'
- 'Image on website'
© National Portrait Gallery, London
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George Morland
by John Raphael Smith
oil on canvas, 1792
14 3/8 in. x 11 1/2 in. (365 mm x 292 mm)
Purchased, 1987
Primary Collection
NPG 5931
Sitterback to top
- George Morland (1763-1804), Painter. Sitter in 12 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 3 portraits.
Artistback to top
- John Raphael Smith (1752-1812), Portrait painter, engraver and pastellist. Artist or producer associated with 192 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
This portraitback to top
The artist, John Raphael Smith, was a friend of Morland and engraved many of his works for publication.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 441
- Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 68, 166 Read entry
Carved and gilt pine, mitred and pinned, the mitres reopened recently and the old fillets in the mitres removed, the corner ribbons on the top edge replaced, the top reeding and the narrow inner fillet water gilt and burnished, the scoop water gilt but left matt with faulting in the gold leaf visible, the sight edge lamb's tongue oil gilt with crazing revealing a yellow ground. 2 1⁄ 4 inches wide.
Precocious and dissolute, George Morland's career as a draughtsman and painter began early with his first exhibit at the Royal Academy in 1773 at the age of ten and ended with his premature death in 1804 after long spells in a debtors' prison. His name is remembered not only for his genre paintings and picturesque landscapes but also for the 'Morland' frame, though quite whether this familiar neo-classical type, with its ribbon-and-reeded top edge, wide, plain scoop and small-scale sight edge, originated with him is open to investigation.
This portrait of Morland by his friend and drinking companion, the engraver and painter, John Raphael Smith, was probably painted shortly before the exhibition of Morland's paintings held by Smith at his gallery in King Street, Covent Garden, in 1793. The frame has been altered but may still be the original.
Events of 1792back to top
Current affairs
The famous seven year trial of Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal, on charges of embezzlement and murder, ends with his acquittal. Pro-Revolutionary philosopher Joseph Priestley's house is destroyed by a mob on the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille. Their actions are later seen as a key moment in the defeat of Enlightenment ideals in England.Art and science
Mary Wollstonecraft publishes A Vindication of the Rights of Woman; a radical work which called on women to be allies to one another; fearless in their support and free in their criticism.Sir Joshua Reynolds dies and is succeeded by Benjamin West as President of the Royal Academy.
International
The mob invades the Tuileries and the French Royal Family is imprisoned marking the end of France's experiment with constitutional monarchy and the declaration of the first French Republic.The Revolutionary Commune is established in Paris.
France declares war on Austria and then Prussia.
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