Richard Harris Barham

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed on a label (only the lower part of the inscription is now visible), formerly on the back of the picture: by Lane RA E[sq]

This portraitback to top

The date of this drawing is given in the list of Barham's portraits. It was engraved by J. Cook, published 1845 (example in NPG), for Bentley's Miscellany, also by W. G. Jackman, published Appleton, New York (example in British Museum), and by J. Brown, published Bentley, 1870 (example in NPG), for the annotated edition of Barham's Legends. In a letter to Lane of 5 September 1845 (see reference), M. A. Hughes wrote of the Cook engraving, after the drawing:

'The likeness has drawn many tears from me - I know not what you have done to it but it seems infinitely more like than that I have from R. Barham (which I shall now give to my son:) Yes, there is the kind, cordial, frank expression - there the pleasant smile - there the look lever had from the dear lost friend, so truly affectionate & true to me and mine.'

Provenanceback to top

The sitter; Mrs Bond, his daughter; Mrs M. B. Platt, his granddaughter, presented by her son, Edward Platt, in accordance with his mother's wishes, 1937.

Exhibitionsback to top

SKM, 1868 (586).

Reproductionsback to top

R. H. Barham, The Ingoldsby Legends, edited by Mrs Bond (1894), I, facing XI.


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.

View all known portraits for Richard Harris Barham