George Richmond

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed on the backboard in pencil: Portrait of one of my best/Friends (GR) by Himself/1853/Feby 1^st. 1855

This portraitback to top

The board on which this portrait is painted has the label of Paulmier, Versailles, so it may possibly have been painted in France. Other self-portraits are recorded as follows:
1 1830. Miniature. Collection of the Richmond family, exhibited Special Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures, South Kensington Museum, 1865 (1042), reproduced A. M. W. Stirling, The Richmond Papers (1926), facing p 34.
2 c.1830. Drawing. Collection of Sir Geoffrey Keynes.
3 1840. Painting. Collection of Kerrison Preston, exhibited British Self-Portraits, Arts Council, 1962 (79).
4 c.1840. Painting. Collection of Miss A. E. Kennedy, 1939.
5 c.1840. Drawing. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
6 c.1850. Painting. Sold Christie's, 16 July 1965 (lot 25), bought Buxton.
7 1854. Painting (in a black Renaissance cap). City Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, listed in Richmond's 'Account Book' (photostat copy, NPG archives), p 61, under 1854, and p 82, under 1867.
8 1858. Painting. Listed in 'Account Book', p 68, under 1858. Possibly the NPG picture.
9 1860. Painting. Sold Christie's, 19 November 1965 (lot 7), bought Bernard, listed in 'Account Book', p 76, under 1860.
10 1863. Painting. Collection of the Richmond family, listed in 'Account Book', p 76, under 1863, engraved by W. Holl (example in NPG), for the 'Grillions Club' series.
11 1867. Painting (in DCL cap and gown). Formerly Painter-Stainers Company, London, presented by the artist, 1887 (destroyed by fire, 1940, listed in 'Account Book', pp 81-2, under 1867. I am grateful to Mrs M. Lake of the Painter-Stainers Company, who provided a pre-war photograph of the Livery Hall, in which the portrait of Richmond is just visible.
12 1868. Painting (in DCL cap and gown). Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Very similar to no.11, and probably derived from it, but in reverse.

Referenceback to top

Possibly the portrait listed in Richmond's 'Account Book' (photostat copy, NPG archives), p 68, under 1858 ('My own head small size').

Physical descriptionback to top

Healthy complexion, brownish eyes and hair. Dressed in a dark stock, white collar, and dark coat. Background colour dark green and brown.

Provenanceback to top

The sitter; presented by his daughter-in-law, Mrs Walter Richmond, in accordance with the wishes of her husband, 1931.

Exhibitionsback to top

Ruskin and his Circle, Arts Council, London, 1964 (231).


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 George Richmond