Richard Parkes Bonington

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders facing aged about 25; close-cut wavy brown hair, light grey eyes, clear pale complexion, protruding lower lip, slight frown; chocolate-brown coat with black velvet collar and noticeably padded shoulders, white shirt, black neckcloth, reddish bow-tie; plain greenish-brown background.

Provenanceback to top

Mrs Carpenter who sold it in 1866 ('List of Pictures and Drawings by Margaret Carpenter' in NPG library); W. Anthony of No.1 Duke Street St. James's and sold by him Christie's 10 February 1871 (423); Henry Graves & Co who sold it to the NPG in February 1877 together with a portrait of John Jackson RA and a bronze bust of Cromwell (see Piper p 96 no. 438).

Exhibitionsback to top

SBA 1833-4 (68) - 'this portrait is a fine expressive one, and none can view it without a feeling of regret ... the likeness is acknowledged to be good' (Magazine of Fine Arts in 1833, p 70), and later under a criticism of Mrs Carpenter's portrait of Sir Edward Kynaston, 'this picture offers a strong contrast to the pale studious countenance of poor Bonington by the same artist' (ibid., p 67); Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (344) lent by W. Anthony.

Reproductionsback to top

Mezzotint by J. P. Quilley published by James Carpenter 28 January 1831.


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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