Samuel Parr

This portraitback to top

Dawe painted two types of portrait of Dr Parr:
(1) Half-length exhibited RA 1814 (199) and engraved by Skelton for vol.II of his Works, 1828, then in collection of James West of Alscott; this was signed and dated 1813 on arm of chair and sold Christie's 27 October 1967 (207) bought Massey; he holds a churchwarden pipe in right hand sloping along his arm; a variant with pipe in left hand was engraved by Meyer 1828 'from a Painting in the possession of the Rev John Kendall', possibly that given to the Hurd Library, Hartlebury Castle, in 1844 by the Rev Francis Palmer (J. Nankivell, Portraits at Hartlebury Castle, 1953, pp 35-6 and reproduced); another version of this is at Harrow School. The original was described by Hazlitt in the Morning Chronicle, 3 May 1814, as 'an admirable and striking likeness ... though the hands are very carelessly executed' (Hazlitt, Works, XVIII, pp 18-19).
(2) Three-quarter-length seated to right in cassock, gown, bands and wig, left hand in waistband, fingers of right outstretched, now in St John's College, Cambridge, given by E. S. Halswell c.1826; mezzotint by Hodgetts 1815. The NPG version is a variant of (1) holding a quill in one hand, in the other a paper with Greek letters, possibly his nickname Orbilius. The first type was probably that referred to by Bentley as 'the best likeness ever taken of Dr Parr was one by Dawe, a cabinet picture, an inimitable portrait, and as near to the singular original as canvas can be to life' (Bentley's Miscellany, XVII, p 301).

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length to right in carved wood armchair, yellow patterned dressing-grown, red cap with white lining; right hand holds quill downward, left hand holds paper with Greek inscription (possibly Orbilius, his pupils' nickname for him), leather-bound folios in bookcase trimmed with green baize strips and brass studs in background; dark blue eyes, bushy grey eyebrows, dark complexion, pleased expression.

Provenanceback to top

The artist; his nephew Mr Wright; Colnaghi from whom bought 1857.


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 Samuel Parr