4 OF 9 
John Avery
4 of 9 portraits by Henry Collen
- Overview
- Extended catalogue entry
Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue
John Avery
attributed to Henry Collen
8 in. x 5 3/4 in. (203 mm x 146 mm)
NPG 1893
This portraitback to top
Avery is shown in an interior, pointing to his famous apparatus. The traditional attribution to Collen seems valid. This is the only recorded likeness of Avery.
Physical descriptionback to top
Healthy complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair and whiskers. Dressed in green stock, white shirt, dark grey coat and waistcoat, gold chain, brown trousers. Metal apparatus on mahogany table with dark leather covering. Leather-bound books in background. Dark red curtain at right.
Provenanceback to top
The sitter; by descent to Macleod Yearsley (a distant cousin), and presented by him, 1921.
This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, 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.