Joseph Hume

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated (middle left): J. W. WALTON/1854

This portraitback to top

Sittings took place in the artist's studio in 1854, Dr Glen always accompanying his uncle (information contained in a letter of 18 September 1885 from the artist, NPG archives). In 1860, the picture was severely damaged, and Walton repainted most of the figure and background, but not the head. He then signed the picture and dated it to the year of the repainting (information contained in a letter of 14 September 1885 from the artist, NPG archives). In consultation with the NPG, the artist altered the date to '1854' in 1885 to avoid confusion. The face has the look of having been partially painted from a photograph; it is similar to the photograph by Mayall. A reproduction of the painting was published by the Photographische Gesellschaft, Berlin (example in the NPG).

Referenceback to top

Scharf
G. Scharf, Sir George Scharf's Trustees' Sketch Books (NPG archives), XXXII, 27-8.

Physical descriptionback to top

Blue eyes, grey hair and whiskers. Dressed in a dark stock, white shirt, and black suit. Resting his hand on a desk with books and papers. Red curtains at left, rest of background very dark brown.

Provenanceback to top

Commissioned by Dr Joseph Glen, the sitter's nephew, and bequeathed by him, 1884.

Exhibitionsback to top

RA, 1857 (633).


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 Joseph Hume