William Maginn

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed in ink: faithfully yours/William Maginn/J^y 14. 1830, and indistinctly in blue chalk: touched Lecky (?).

This portraitback to top

The drawing was used as no.8 of 'The Gallery of Illustrious Characters' in Fraser's Magazine for January 1831. The previous seven had been William Jerdan, Thomas Campbell, J. G. Lockhart, Samuel Rogers, Thomas Moore, Scott and John Galt. Fraser's Magazine had been founded by Maginn in 1830 and immediately became a popular literary monthly, largely due to Maginn's malicious biographical sketches illustrated by Maclise's stylised caricatures drawn with a lithographic pencil. Although the lithograph of Maginn was only published as no.8 of the series it was probably one of the earliest to be drawn, Maginn and Maclise being fellow-Irishmen and intimate friends. In all 84 portraits of 'Illustrious Characters' were published, no.56 in Fraser's Magazine, XI, January 1835 being 'The Fraserians', a group of literary celebrities sitting round the famous round table with Maginn making a speech, 'God knows about what!'.
The significance of the indistinct chalk inscription touched Lecky is uncertain unless it means that the drawing was 'improved' by Mrs Emilia Lecky or her son Andrew, both Maginn's fellow Dubliners.

Physical descriptionback to top

Whole-length seated to right, head in watercolour (brown hair, grey eyes, dark complexion, black neck-tie), body and two chairs in pencil.

Provenanceback to top

John Murray, publisher of 50 Albemarle Street, then his son Alexander Hallam Murray and by descent to Mrs E. C. L. Copner and her sale Sotheby's 8 July 1982 (30), bought Albany Gallery (Bill Thomson) for the NPG.

Reproductionsback to top

Lithograph, with slight variations, in Fraser's Magazine, II, January 1831, p 716.


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 Daniel Maclise

View all known portraits for William Maginn