Commander John Roberts (1720–1815)

Image credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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A half-length portrait slightly to left in a painted oval. Under his blue coat he wears a red flannel smock without an opening down the front. Very little is known about this long-lived naval officer except that he was promoted to lieutenant in 1740–1741 and became a commander on the superannuated list in 1796. He was of Huguenot extraction from the family of de Jonquiere, a surname that was dropped in favour of the Christian name of the head of the family. In 1740 Reynolds was apprenticed to the portrait painter Thomas Hudson (1701–1790) and he travelled to Italy in 1749. In 1753 he set up in London and rapidly made a name as a portrait painter, profoundly influenced by his time in Italy to travel and study. Reynolds borrowed poses from the old masters and by 1759 had created social portraits in a new style that were deemed fresh and modern and yet dignified the status of the sitter.

National Maritime Museum

London

Title

Commander John Roberts (1720–1815)

Date

1747

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 76 x W 63.5 cm

Accession number

BHC2966

Work type

Painting

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National Maritime Museum

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