Robert Lucas Pearsall

This portraitback to top

This picture was painted from the artist's recollection of her portrait of 1849 now in the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. According to Hubert Hunt (letter of 21 August 1927, NPG archives), an authority on Pearsall, Mrs Hughes brought out this portrait in 1916 (it had previously been hidden away), and put it up in her room: 'She told me that she had tried to reproduce from memory a portrait she had painted from life, but that she could not catch the right expression.' In comparison with the original, the NPG portrait is weak and unconvincing.
Another painting of Pearsall of 1856 by his daughter, showing him bearded, and wearing the order of St John of Jerusalem, was exhibited Victorian Era Exhibition, 1897, 'Music and Drama Section', sub-division 'Music - Oil Paintings' (8). It was offered by the artist to the NPG in 1912, but declined. According to W. B. Squire (letter of 15 March 1917, NPG archives): 'The picture she had evidently repainted & quite spoiled.' A drawing of Pearsall by Mrs Hughes, also showing him bearded, and possibly connected with this portrait, was in the collection of the Ladies Frances and Blanche Stanhope, 1937.

Physical descriptionback to top

Ruddy complexion, pale brown eyes, grey side-whiskers. Dressed in a white collar, dark stock, dark coat, and red skull-cap with a tassel. Very dark grey background.

Provenanceback to top

The artist, presented, in accordance with her wishes, by W. B. Squire, 1917.


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 Robert Lucas Pearsall