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Unknown man, formerly known as Henry Robert Morland

3 of 3 portraits by George Morland

Unknown man, formerly known as Henry Robert Morland, by George Morland, circa 1795 -NPG 2905 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue

Unknown man, formerly known as Henry Robert Morland

attributed to George Morland
circa 1795
10 3/4 in. x 7 3/4 in. (273 mm x 197 mm)
NPG 2905

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed below in pencil in three different hands: early 19th-century: Henry Morland/sketch by Geo.; late 18th century: Morland; later 19th century hand: /given by H. M. to Gro ... o

This portraitback to top

The attribution of NPG 2905, a slight sketch of a man of indeterminate age looking rather slyly over his shoulder, and the identity of the sitter, depend entirely on the compounded inscription. On comparison with other George Morland drawings, the Morland inscription is probably not a signature. NPG 2905 was acquired as a portrait of the artist’s father, Henry Morland (c.1719-97), of whom there are no documented portraits, [1] but the inscription could equally refer to the sailor/dealer Henry Morland (c.1760-after 1804), the artist’s older brother (and latterly keeper).

Footnotesback to top

1) Two so-called portraits were: a weak half length of an artist, sold Robinson & Fisher, 6 December 1934, lot 176; and a half-length panel bearing a label Henry Robert Morland, signed/inscribed G. Morland Pinxt 1779, offered to the NPG in 1934.

Provenanceback to top

Purchased from Colnaghi1 1936.

1 ‘from a scrap book’ they had bought (note by H. M. Hake, 19 November 1936; NPG archive).


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 George Morland