John Raphael Smith

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed in ink on back of stretcher: John Raphael Smith circa 56 - 1804 Se ipse Pinxit E Oxley.

This portraitback to top

Several self-portraits of J. R. Smith are recorded in the NPG archive: (1) Crayon and wash in British Museum, half-length seated drawing in a large hat, formerly attributed to George Morland (Laurence Binyon, Catalogue of Drawings by British Artists … in the British Museum, III, p 111 and 'Portrait Drawings', British Museum, 1974 no.171); a mezzotint probably by himself, unfinished proof, is also in the British Museum. (2) Oil offered to Usher Art Gallery, Lincoln, in 1978, half-length in green cap holding brushes and palette. (3) William Carey records that after exhibiting a study of his own head at the Royal Academy in the hope of being elected Associate, Smith vowed he would never 'smudge' another in that medium (Ralph Edwards, 'J. R. Smith and his pupils' in Connoisseur, XC, 1932). (4) A watercolour self-portrait exhibited SBA 1833/4 (420) is perhaps that now in V&A Museum. (5) A possible self-portrait is the slim standing figure in his 'Promenade at Carlisle House', pastel drawing in V&A Museum and mezzotint published 1 December 1781. (6) A doubtful pastel self-portrait is reproduced in Ralph Edwards, 'J. R. Smith and his pupils' in Connoisseur, XCIII, 1934, p 96, there described as aged 31.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders in dark green coat, white neckcloth, green-blue hat; grey hair, dark eyes, swarthy complexion, approximate age 55.

Provenanceback to top

Bought from Leggatt Brothers 1895.


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 John Raphael Smith