George Whitefield

This portraitback to top

NPG 1792 shows less of the sitter than Trotter's engraving published 7 March 1783, From an original picture in the possession of John Grove Esq. Millbank. Westm^r., but has obviously been cut down. It is on a small scale. A 'Mr Groves' is mentioned in Russell's diary, c.1769, but not otherwise identified. [1] The portrait engraved by Trotter is likely to have been a second version. NPG 1792 probably remained in the possession of the artist's family, and is perhaps a study for the whole length portrait engraved by Watson (F. O'Donoghue and Sir Henry M. Hake, Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits ... in the British Museum, 1908-25, 10), which shows Whitefield preaching in Moorfields. This was published in 1772, but no painting is now known. Whitefield was a particular friend of the artist and sat to him 11 May 1770. [2]

Footnotesback to top

1) G. C. Williamson, John Russell R.A., 1894, p 24.
2) Ibid, p 22.

Physical descriptionback to top

Blue eyes, with squint, grey eyebrows, thin lips, white wig, elderly appearance; white bands, black gown; green-background.

Conservationback to top

Good; mounted on panel on acquisition in 1917; appears to have been cut from a larger canvas.

Provenanceback to top

Given 1917 by F. H. Webb, a great-grandson of the artist. [1]

1) G. C. Williamson, John Russell R.A., 1894, pp 3, 169.

Reproductionsback to top

J. Watson, 1772; T. Trotter, 1783 for Middleton's Biographica Evangelica.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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 Russell

View all known portraits for George Whitefield