Colleagues at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, have posted an image of their portrait by Herman Verelst, dated 1688. On reverse of the frame are labels reading “Mrs. Burslem [crossed out: Barnardiston] / from Mrs. Smith” and “Boddam-Whetham”. They welcome any thoughts regarding the possible identity of the sitter. […]
A member has submitted the following query; please add your suggestions in the Comments box at the bottom of the page: I am trying to source the sitter of this portrait by Richard Jack. The picture is dated 1915 and clearly depicts a well-to-do gentry type, typical of many of Jack’s sitters. It is done […]
Can you help with this query about dating? This is (or was) a painting from my family home, Barnbarroch of an unknown Vans Agnew. Because of the size of the work and it’s important position (in a photo of the room in 1907) I presume it to be of a laird of Barnbarroch and therefore […]
An independent scholar is seeking advice on the practice of the drapery painters Joseph (c.1699-1749) and Alexander (1701-1757) Van Aken/Vanhaecken: From roughly 1725 to 1760 a large majority of British portraits’ clothing & landscapes were supposedly painted by the workshop of Joseph Van Haecken (d. 1749) and his brother Alexander. The link between him and […]
Leeanne Westwood, Curator at Valence House Museum, is researching artist attributions for a recent donation of nine Fanshawe family miniatures, and one loan to the collection. The ten paintings are shown below along with what information as to sitter identity and dating is currently known. To share your thoughts on possible artists, please use the […]
This portrait of an unnamed actor of the Covent Garden Theatre Company is dated 1811 and attributed to Henry William Pickersgill R.A. The inscription on the old labelon reverse of the present portrait refers to an actor of the Covent Garden Theatre Co.¹ The sitter is presumably one of the company of Regency actors under […]
A member is looking for information on an eighteenth-century portraitist called Clifford (forenames unknown), who executed the adjoining painting. “Clifford appears to have been a travelling portrait painter who spent some time in Cornwall and resided for a while in Truro. This portrait (top left, and bottom) shows Francis Jenkins of Truro (1756- 1839). He […]
A member is seeking the identity of this female portrait sitter by Thomas Phillips RA (1770-1845). She was formerly identified as ‘Lady Blessington’, but this is unverified. The costume has helped to date the painting to the early 1830s. Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 76.9 by 62.2 cm.; 30 1/4 by 24 1/2 in. Known […]
A network member is seeking assistance in identifying the sitters in this group portrait or the subject matter, and ideas as to artist. “I am researching a portrait which was originally thought to represent Samuel Foote with David Garrick and his wife Eva Maria Veigel, but this identification has now been disproved. There is evidence […]
A query from a private collector, a member of the Understanding British Portraits professional network: This portrait of a young man wearing the Order of the Garter and another medallion showing a bronze portrait relief suspended from a blue ribbon has always been known anecdotally as a portrait of ‘Major Blachford’. However Blachford was not […]
