Isaac D'Israeli

Inscriptionback to top

Signed in ink: D'Israeli.

This portraitback to top

This drawing would seem to be a copy after, rather than a study for, Maclise's lithograph of D'Israeli published in Fraser's Magazine in 1832 as no.xxiii of his 'Gallery of Illustrious Literary Characters'. A similar drawing of D'Israeli's son Benjamin, later Lord Beaconsfield, was bought for the Gallery from the same source (see Richard Ormond, Daniel Maclise 1806-1870, 1872 ,p 48). They both appear rather timorous compared with Maclise's usual forthright style. The author of D'Israeli's obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine, XXX, 1848, mistakenly attributes Maclise's print to 'Alfred Crowquill', the pseudonym of A. H. Forrester, but Maclise's use of the pseudonym 'Alfred Croquis' is well-authenticated for the eighty-odd drawings he contributed to Fraser's between 1830 and 1836.
Two other pencil drawings by Maclise are at Hughenden Manor, one a three-quarter-length in a striped coat dated 1828 (National Trust Guide, 1973, nos.129, 134).

Physical descriptionback to top

Whole-length seated to right in front of a fire, wearing glasses and dressing-gown.

Provenanceback to top

Bought from Appleby Brothers 1940.

Reproductionsback to top

Lithograph inscribed Alfred Croquis/I D'Israeli/AUTHOR OF "LIFE & CHARACTER OF CHARLES I” and published in Fraser's Magazine, April 1832.


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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