Samuel Ireland

Inscriptionback to top

A label formerly on frame verso inscribed: Samuel Ireland/Born 1744 and in another hand: Sl.Ireland./Drawn by/Hamilton./1776.; the original wooden backboard inscribed in a contemporary hand: Hamilton 1776.

This portraitback to top

Ireland’s undated etching from this portrait (in the same sense and inscribed Hamilton pinxt. S. Ireland fect.) shows minor differences in the collar, ear and hair.

Physical descriptionback to top

Grey eyes, grey powdered hair, wearing a light grey costume with an orange drape.

Provenanceback to top

[by descent from the sitter to]¹ Mrs Gwendoline May Butt; her sale, P. H. Inman, Hove, 6-7 September 1960, lot 167; Sotheby’s, 20 February 1963, lot 43 (as by William Hamilton), bought Leggatt for the NPG.

¹ Mrs Butt was said to be Ireland’s great-granddaughter (MS note on her sale cat., NPG).

Exhibitionsback to top

Master Drawings from the National Portrait Gallery, Tulsa, Miami, Washington, Ottawa, NPG, Manchester, Carlisle, Canterbury, 1993-95 (31).

Reproductionsback to top

S. Ireland.


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 Samuel Ireland