Henry Bone

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed on back of canvas: Henry Bone/Enamel Painter/John Opie R.A./pinxit, and separately: canvas (date 1799).

This portraitback to top

Within the last hundred years the portrait has been dated 1795 but this appears to follow an unsupported statement by Rogers p 76. However there seems to be no reason to doubt the very clear date 1799 transcribed on the back of the canvas lined by Haines in 1891. An enamel copy of 1802 by Bone himself is inscribed: Henry Bone R:A./Born Feby. 6th. 1755/London/August 1828/Painted by Henry Bone R:A./Enamel painter to His Majesty/& to the late Duke of York/&c &c. after the Original in/my possession of John Opie R:A. &c, painted in 1802; sold Christie's 27 February 1968 (64) and reproduced in Daphne Foskett, Dictionary of Miniature Painters, 1972, plate 21.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders to right in dark green coat with black velvet collar, white neckcloth and bow-tie; grey hair, brown eyes, darkish skin, faint trace of moustache; plain dark brown background.

Provenanceback to top

Given by Opie to Henry Bone himself and bought from his great-granddaughter, Georgina Bone, in 1891.

Exhibitionsback to top

SBA 1833/4 (197); 'John Opie and Henry Bone', Truro, 1951 (30); 'John Opie' , Plymouth, 1957 (7); 'John Opie 1761-1807', Arts Council, 1962-3.


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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