Charles Mathews

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed along top edge: Mr Mathews after his severe accident - G. Harlowe

This portraitback to top

The drawing shows Mathews after the accident on 22 July 1814, described as 'a spill from a tilbury' in the Dictionary of National Biography and by his wife as being 'thrown out of his tilbury and dangerously hurt' (Memoirs, II, p 289). In spite of much pain he re-appeared as 'Harlequin' in Hocus-Pocus at the Haymarket on 12 August using crutches (ibid. p 296). Harlow had painted, the year before, his famous picture in the Garrick Club of Mathews looking at himself in four different characters - an idiot playing with a fly, and three others; this was exhibited RA 1814 and engraved in mezzotint by Meyer 1817 and in line by Greatbach 1838; a red and black chalk drawing for the head was at Sotheby's 19 November 1970 (88).

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length facing holding crutches, very sketchy.

Provenanceback to top

Bought from Appleby Brothers 1941.


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 Charles Mathews