Portrait Of Sir John Barnard (c.1685-1764), Attributed To John Vanderbank (1694-1739)

Portrait of Sir John Barnard (c.1685-1764), Attributed to John Vanderbank (British, 1694-1739)

Portrait of Sir John Barnard (c.1685-1764), the merchant and Whig politician, three quarter length, dressed in his ceremonial robes when serving as the Lord Mayor of London in 1738

Attributed to John Vanderbank (British, 1694 - 1739), formerly attributed to William Hogarth (1697 -1764)

Medium: Oil on canvas with plaque reading “Sir John Barnard by William Hogarth”

*Provenance: By direct family descent from Sir John Barnard

Overall size with the frame 42 cm x 35 cm x 4 cm and the painting measuring 32 cm x 24 cm

A very decorative and collectible 18th-century oil-on-canvas painting of Sir John Barnard who was a prominent London merchant of the period and also a Whig party politician. The portrait has been attributed to John Vanderbank although there is an inscription on the frame that says it is by William Hogarth.

The three-quarter length portrait depicts Barnard dressed in his ceremonial robes when serving as the Lord Mayor of London in 1738. Scottish artist Allan Ramsay is also recorded as having painted a version of the same composition, believed to predate the other versions.

John Vanderbank received his training as a portraitist under Sir Godfrey Kneller before becoming a successful artist and teacher of art He is noted primarily for his portraiture, he also worked as a book illustrator, and produced numerous small oil versions of scenes from Don Quixote.

Vanderbank later established an academy for life-drawing at St Martin's Lane, which included the artist William Hogarth amongst its members.

Although the painting was acquired by us as attributed to John Vanderbank, it does appear similar in style to the work to Hogarth. Another version of this work, almost identical in size, has been sold as by Hogarth, after Ramsay, by one of London’s top art dealers.
The painting is from the sitter’s family by decent thus offering good provenance. Given its provenance it is likely that this work is by one of the top portrait painters of the time. Whether it is by Hogarth or by Vanderbank after Hogarth is yet to be determined.

Condition report. In good cleaned and lived condition within its most likely original gilt carved 18th century English frame. There are some areas of craquelure. The surface is in stable and the canvas is in good tension.

Please refer to the notes below regarding frames.

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