Unknown man, formerly known as John Aislabie

This portraitback to top

NPG 1754 does not appear to represent the same person as the only certain portrait of the sitter. The previous attribution to Charles Jervas is not altogether convincing and is here abandoned. The artist would seem to be working more in the Kneller tradition but it is not possible to be more precise. The sitter looks about thirty and the wig suggests a date c.1720.

Physical descriptionback to top

Pale grey eyes, strong nose, full lips, grey wig to shoulders; white neck-tie, coat laid in in brown; brown background.

Conservationback to top

Varnish somewhat discoloured; five small repaints, three in the wig and two smaller ones in his right cheek and tip of chin; pin holes in corners; unfinished, and conceivably cut.

Provenanceback to top

Bought, 1915, from Newman, Oldham and Co, to whom it was sent for sale by a lawyer and wrongly named Arthur Onslow (1691-1768).


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.

View all known portraits for John Aislabie