George Cruikshank

This portraitback to top

The early history of this picture is unknown, but it almost certainly represents Cruikshank, in Vandyck costume. The date '1836' was given to the picture when it first arrived in the collection, but the reasons for this are not now known. Possibly there was a label on the back which is now lost, or the vendor may herself have supplied the information. The date would, however, agree with Cruikshank's apparent age in the portrait.

Physical descriptionback to top

Brown eyes, dark brown hair and beard. Dressed in a brown costume with white lace collar and cuffs, black cloak. Red curtain behind at left. Rest of background muddy brown.

Provenanceback to top

Mrs Mary Bell, purchased from her, 1904.

Exhibitionsback to top

Charles Dickens, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1970 (C9), reproduced in catalogue.


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 George Cruikshank