James Granger

Inscriptionback to top

A contemporary inscription on the old backboard read: Joan:s Cornish Pinxt Oxon:/1765 and Revd Mr Granger/Shiplake.<sup>1

1</sup> As copied by C. K. Adams 1932; the backboard was apparently not with the picture when it was presented in 1938.

This portraitback to top

The identification and attribution of NPG 2961 derive from the contemporary inscription quoted above. The extreme modesty of Granger’s portraiture is perhaps explained by his statement that ‘My name and person are known to few, as I had the good fortune to retire early to independence, obscurity, and content’. [1]

Footnotesback to top

1) Granger, Biographical History, preface, 1769.

Physical descriptionback to top

Blue-grey eyes, powdered wig, wearing a black gown and bands.

Provenanceback to top

By descent from the sitter’s brother John (who married Mary Lunn), to Mrs Dorothy Lunn in 1932 and H. T. Lunn MRST, by whom presented 1938.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, National Portrait Gallery, 2004, 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 James Granger