Francis Horner
3 of 5 portraits of Francis Horner
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- Extended catalogue entry
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Regency Portraits Catalogue
Francis Horner
by Sir Henry Raeburn
1812
50 3/4 in. x 40 in. (1289 mm x 1016 mm)
NPG 485
Inscriptionback to top
Inscribed in ink on back: copied from original Canvass/Francis Homer Esqre, born at Edinrg/12 August 1778. Painted by Henry Raeburn/Edinbrg Sept 1812 and an old label: '… Painted by Sir Henry Raeburn at Edinburgh 1812/There are three copies of this picture, but this is the original for which my brother sat for my wife and myself/Leonard Horner'.
This portraitback to top
According to the Catalogue entry Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (53) the portrait is dated 1812 and on the back is inscribed: There are three copies of this picture, but this is the original for which my brother sat, for my wife and myself ... LEONARD HORNER. One of these copies was painted in 1817 for the Speculative Society of Edinburgh, in the Raeburn Exhibition 1876, and is now at Meikleour (Lansdowne collection); a cut-down studio version was at Holland House (Holland House Catalogue, 34), and a replica of the head and shoulders was at Dalmeny then Rosebery sale Christie's 5 May 1939 (111) reappearing at Christie's 19 November 1965 (102) and 17 March 1967 (153); another copy was destroyed in the 1914 fire at Barton Hall, West Suffolk (Sir Henry Bunbury). A different type by Raeburn, head and shoulders to right, is in the Scottish NPG (253).
Physical descriptionback to top
Three-quarter-length to left in red upholstered armchair, black suit, white neckcloth and bow-tie, right hand on open book on table, gold ring on little finger of left hand; thick brown hair, dark eyes, dark complexion; red curtain background.
Provenanceback to top
The sitter's brother Leonard Horner (d. 1864) and given at his request by his daughters, Miss Susan Homer, Lady Lyell and Madame Perty 1877.
Exhibitionsback to top
Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (53) lent by Sir Charles Lyell, Bart.
Reproductionsback to top
Mezzotint by S. W. Reynolds published 4 July 1818 'from the Original Picture by Henry Raeburn Esq. RA in the possession of Leonard Horner Esq. …’
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.
View all known portraits for Francis Horner