Self-portrait by Edward Collier, oil on canvas, 1683 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Queries

Upload your illustrated queries about a portrait’s attribution, sitter identity, condition or provenance, and take part in the online discussions.

Joseph and Alexander Van Aken

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 […]

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Who is the painter ‘Clifford’?

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 […]

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Thomas Phillips’ unknown sitter, early 1830s

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 […]

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Possible subject or sitters, and artist sought

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 […]

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Seeking advice on portrait dating and costume

A query from Valence House Museum: This portrait is described as Mrs Mary Linsdell (b.1805) and her daughter Annie (b.1841) and was donated in 1942 by Annie’s son-in-law. Annie was the fifth child and third daughter of Mary and her husband Thomas. The portrait is by John Robert Wildman – portrait, landscape, historical and animal […]

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Partners: Art Detective

Art Detective aims to improve knowledge of the UK’s public art collection. It is a free-to-use online network that connects public art collections with members of the public and providers of specialist knowledge. Launched in March 2014, Art Detective comprises a digital network built on top of the Public Catalogue Foundation’s (PCF) existing art object […]

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Queries & Reviews

Submit your portrait query for other members, or post an illustrated case study, review, or research paper.