Samuel Rogers

This portraitback to top

Lawrence made an oil portrait and two chalk drawings of Rogers, his friend and benefactor. The oil was claimed by Miss Rogers after Lawrence's death but could not be found in the studio and is still missing (Kenneth Garlick, ‘Catalogue of Paintings, Drawings and Pastels of Sir Thomas Lawrence’ in Walpole Society Journal, XXXIX, 1964, pp 241, 304). One chalk drawing is in the British Museum, younger looking and considerably more finished than NPG 400 and showing Rogers seated in an armchair (Laurence Binyon, Catalogue of Drawings by British Artists … in the British Museum, III, p 41). The NPG drawing shows Rogers looking about ten years older with slightly less hair and, allowing for the Lawrence flattery, comparable with Baron Denon's drawing of 1817 (photograph in NPG archive). It was claimed by Miss Rogers from Lawrence's executor and given to the NPG by her nephew Henry Rogers.

Physical descriptionback to top

Half-length seated slightly to right, mainly in black chalk with red touches on lips, ears and eyelids, white collar; framed as oval.

Provenanceback to top

The poet's sister, Miss Rogers of Hanover Terrace; her nephew Henry Rogers of Hagley Lodge and given by him in 1875.

Exhibitionsback to top

Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (312) lent by Miss Rogers; loan to Guildhall Library 1900-11.

Reproductionsback to top

Lithograph by W. Finden published by Murray 1834 and used as frontispiece to his Poems (and reproduced in W. Brockedon, Lord Byron, 1833, III); Sir Walter Armstrong, Lawrence, 1913, says it was also lithographed by F. C. Lewis. A daguerreotype in a red morocco case was in the Rogers sale Christie's 8 May 1856 (1338).


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 Sir Thomas Lawrence

View all known portraits for Samuel Rogers