William Mulready

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated (lower left): J. Linnell. Fec^t/1833.
Inscribed (top left): WM MULREADY Esq^r R.A.
Inscribed on a label formerly on the back of the picture: No 4./portrait of W^m Mulready Esq^r R.A./Painted 1833/By John Linnell/Porchester Terrace/Bayswater

This portraitback to top

The portrait was engraved by J. Thomson (example in NPG). Another unfinished version (in the same pose and costume, but without the palette) is in the National Gallery of Ireland, exhibited Great Irishmen, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 1965 (149).

Referenceback to top

Story 1892
A. T. Story, Life of John Linnell (1892), II, 249, where it is erroneously said to have been painted in 1831.

Physical descriptionback to top

Healthy complexion, brown eyes, reddish-brown hair and whiskers. Dressed in a white shirt and stock, mottled brown waistcoat, dark brown coat. Holding a brown wooden palette, with splashes of red, brown, yellow, white and black paint, brushes and a mahl stick. Background colour various tones of dark brown and dark green.

Provenanceback to top

The artist, sold to Mr Gibbons, 1846; by descent to John Gibbons, and purchased at his sale, Christie's, 29 November 1912 (lot 108).

Exhibitionsback to top

RA, 1833 (162); SKM, 1868 (551); VE, 1892 (174).


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 John Linnell

View all known portraits for William Mulready