Beilby Porteus

Inscriptionback to top

Signed lower left: A Buck del (initials in monogram).

This portraitback to top

The head of Porteus in Buck's drawing bears a close resemblance to the head in a miniature by Henry Burch engraved by Hall and published Cadell 1794; other prints from Burch's miniature were used in The European Magazine, 1795, Orthodox Churchman, 1803, etc. Adam Buck, whose work is usually more competent than this, is not recorded as ever having had a churchman as sitter (W. G. Strickland, Dictionary of Irish Artists, 1913, I, pp 116-23). It is possible that he used Burch's miniature on an ecclesiastical figure perhaps intending the result for a commemorative engraving in 1808. The signature appears authentic.

Physical descriptionback to top

Whole-length standing in wig, black rochet over white surplice, left hand on book bound in red leather on a heavy reddish-brown table; dark eyebrows and eyes, pale complexion; stone arch with blue curtains in background.


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 Beilby Porteus