Portrait of William Linley
| Portrait of William Linley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Thomas Lawrence |
| Year | 1788 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait |
| Dimensions | 76.2 cm × 63.5 cm (30.0 in × 25.0 in) |
| Location | Dulwich Picture Gallery, London |
Portrait of William Linley is a 1788 portrait painting by the British artist Thomas Lawrence depicting William Linley.[1]
Lawrence was a young Bath-based society portraitist, just as his career was about to take off.[2] The Linley Family of Bath were well-known musical performers, connected with the theatre. Lawrence was a friend of William Linley who was a year younger than him. The painting may have served as an audition for his bid for a royal commission.[3] George III reputedly joked that Linley needed a haircut.[4] Nonetheless, Lawrence was soon afterwards commissioned to paint the King's wife Queen Charlotte. That painting's success at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition led to Lawrence's establishment as a leading society portraitist. Today it is part of the collection at Dulwich Art Gallery in South London.[5] It was given as part of a bequest by the painting's subject along with other works featuring his family.[6]
References
- ^ Levey p.77-78
- ^ https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/explore-the-collection/151-200/william-linley/
- ^ https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/explore-the-collection/151-200/william-linley/
- ^ Roberts p.159
- ^ https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/explore-the-collection/151-200/william-linley/
- ^ Stourton p.232
Bibliography
- Holmes, Richard. Thomas Lawrence Portraits. National Portrait Gallery, 2010.
- Levey, Michael. Sir Thomas Lawrence. Yale University Press, 2005.
- Roberts, Jane. George III and Queen Charlotte: Patronage, Collecting and Court Taste. Royal Collection, 2004.
- Stourton, James. Great Smaller Museums of Europe. Scala, 2003.