Explore Collections
You are here:
CollectionsOnline
/
Portrait of Sir Francis Bourgeois RA (1756-1811)
Browse
SM P144. ©Sir John Soane's Museum, London. Photo: Art UK
Sir William Beechey RA (1753 - 1839)
Portrait of Sir Francis Bourgeois RA (1756-1811)
c.1810
Oil on canvas
Height: 74cm, sight size
Width: 63cm, sight size
Width: 63cm, sight size
Museum number: P144
On display: Picture Room
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Provenance
We know this picture was in Soane's collection by 1826-27 when Britton's account of the Museum was prepared. It seems likely that it was acquired by Soane at around the time he was designing the Dulwich Picture Gallery with which Bourgeois was so closely associated, in 1811-12. There are four versions of this portrait, Dulwich Picture Gallery DPG17 probably being that exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1813 (no. 221); Soane's title for the work was 'Portrait of Sir F. Bourgeois' rather than 'Portrait of the late Sir F. Bourgeois' as the version exhibited in 1813 was titled; since he knew Bourgeois, this may be an indication that this version was painted from life, in which case it could date to the 1810s. Bourgeois died on 8 January 1811.
Literature
Britton, Union, pp. 53 and 56
Soane, Description, 1830, p.15 and 35
Soane, Description, 1835, p. 20
New Description, 2007, p.30
Soane, Description, 1830, p.15 and 35
Soane, Description, 1835, p. 20
New Description, 2007, p.30
Exhibition history
Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1813
Associated items
P177, engraved version
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk