Sir John Bayley, 1st Bt

This portraitback to top

The portrait was commissioned, probably by Bayley himself, late in 1808 when he had been made a Judge of the King's Bench, and was hung in one of the council chambers in the Law Courts then at Westminster (R. R. M. See, English Pastels 1750-1830, 1911, pp 35, 53). It was first drawn in pastel (at one time belonging to Miss Clissold of Bath) but the judges feared the medium might not last and Russell was asked to paint the oil version. This was one of the artist's last works for in 1809 he was ordained and gave up painting (he was rector of St Nicholas, Shepperton for forty years).
The minutes of Serjeants' Inn refer to an entry at a Board of Green Cloth 31 January 1839, 'Resolved that the cordial thanks of this Society be given to Mr Bayley for the present of Sir John Bayley's Portrait; and that the Treasurer do write to him accordingly' (E. S. Bain, Catalogue of Portraits in Serjeants' Inn, 1868, p 4). At the dissolution of Serjeants' Inn in 1876 it was presented to the NPG by the Hon Society of Judges and Serjeants-at-Law who were responsible for winding up the Inn's affairs.

Physical descriptionback to top

Three-quarter-length seated in legal robes and wig holding a large book on his knee; dark brown eyes; plain dark background.

Provenanceback to top

Family possession and Royal Courts of Justice 1808; given to Serjeants' Inn 1839; given to the NPG by the Society of Judges and Serjeants-at-Law in 1877.

Exhibitionsback to top

Probably RA 1809 (420); loan to Royal Courts of Justice since 1958.

Reproductionsback to top

(1) mezzotint by W. Say 'The Hon^ble Sir John Bayley Knt. one of the judges of His Majesty's Court of King's Bench' (example in British Museum published by R. Cribb 1823, example in NPG published by Charles Sweet undated); (2) stipple vignette by W. Holl published 28 October 1823 by R. Cribb and an undated impression published by Charles Sweet (examples in NPG).


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, 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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