John Arthur Roebuck

Inscriptionback to top

Signed (lower right): Ape
Inscribed on the mount: Mr. J. A. Roebuck, M.P./April 11, 1874.

This portraitback to top

This is one of a large collection of original studies for Vanity Fair, which were all owned and specially mounted by the first proprietor of the magazine, Thomas Bowles. The water-colour of Roebuck was published as a coloured lithograph in Vanity Fair on 11 April 1874, as 'Statesmen', no.167, with the title 'tear em'.

Physical descriptionback to top

Greyish-white hair. Dressed in a black neck-tie, white shirt, black coat, trousers and shoes.

Provenanceback to top

Thomas Bowles; Vanity Fair Sale, Christie's, 8 March 1912 (lot 657); W. R. Cryer, purchased from him, 1934.


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.

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View all known portraits for John Arthur Roebuck