William Barnes

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed on the stretcher: Portrait of the Rev^d. W^m. Barnes/the "Dorset Poet"/by G. Stuckey 23 South Street, Dorchester

This portraitback to top

Presumably painted in Dorchester, the native town of both artist and sitter. Barnes is holding a copy of his own poems. The date is traditional. According to Mrs Hill of Crewkerne (letters in NPG archives), a descendant of the artist, George Stuckey was born at Thorncombe in Dorset, 1822, the son of Thomas and Mary Stuckey. In 1851 he was admitted to the Royal Academy Schools, recommended by I. M. Leigh. He exhibited one work at the Royal Academy in 1855, 'Portrait of a Gentleman' (55). He died and was buried at Dorchester in 1872. His portraits were almost entirely of local sitters.

Physical descriptionback to top

Dark complexion, brown eyes, dark grey hair and beard. Dressed in white shirt and dark grey coat. Holding dark leather-bound book (red for title, 'Barnes' Poems'), with red book-mark. Background colour brown.

Provenanceback to top

The sitter; by descent to his grandchildren, A. H. Baxter and the Misses G. and E. Baxter, and presented by them, 1947.


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.

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