Samuel Rogers

This portraitback to top

Rogers's poem Italy appeared anonymously in 1822 and a revised version in 1830 illustrated by Stothard, Turner and Landseer. From then Landseer appears never to have lost an opportunity to satirise Rogers's cadaverous features and body. The Scribblers' Book, an album kept at Redleaf by William Wells and now in the British Museum, contains innumerable cartoons and caricatures by Landseer and others, including several of Rogers, a frequent visitor to Redleaf. A sketchbook made at Edward Ellice's hunting-lodge Glenquoich in 1833-41 contained a drawing of Rogers and Mrs Norton at the opera and another of Rogers haranguing Mrs Norton who hides her face with her hands. Two Landseer drawings of Rogers are in Box II at Baron's Court – a whole-length in coat and Mrs Norton reading to Rogers (exhibited RA 1961 no.130). A slight drawing by Landseer is Scottish NPG (48029d). The Chillingham Castle album covered most of Landseer's working life from 1825 onwards though the drawings of Rogers are probably of about 1835.

The 9 satirical drawings [NPG 4914-22] came from an album of 93 drawings, mostly by Landseer, others by Wilkie and D'Orsay, consisting of caricatures, figure and animal studies. The majority are in pen and brown ink, some with brown wash, a few with additions in red chalk, watercolour or sealing wax. The collection was probably formed by Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville who as Lord Ossulston was MP for North Northumberland 1832-59 and very much a man about town. Landseer's first meeting with Ossulston is described dramatically in Reminiscences of Life in the Highlands, Landseer being caught red-handed poaching a stag in Glen Feshie forest.
They became firm friends and the 'Hunting of Chevy Chase' (Birmingham Art Gallery) was conceived on a visit to Chillingham in 1825. The first drawing in the album was Landseer and a servant leaving Chillingham Castle 27 September 1835; the earliest dated drawing was 1832, the latest, an illustrated letter from Landseer to Ossulston, 10 October 1852. The album was probably put together at Chillingham Castle by Lady Ida Tankerville, Lord Ossulston's daughter (b. 1857) who married the 13th Earl of Dalhousie in 1877, and was in the family possession until its sale at Christie's in 1972.

Physical descriptionback to top

Rogers with a monkey; the profile exploits the 'shelf-chin' derided by Carlyle in a letter to Meredith 15 November 1838.

Provenanceback to top

Chillingham Castle (Earl of Tankerville), Lady Ida Tankerville and to her grandson David Patrick Ramsay, Christie's 11 July 1972 (23) bought Agnew and sold to the NPG.


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 Edwin Henry Landseer

View all known portraits for Samuel Rogers