John Purling (1727-1801)
Oil Painting
ca. 1770-1780 (painted)
ca. 1770-1780 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Gainsborough moved to London in 1774. The lively brushwork of this portrait is typical of his late style. At this time, his usual fee for such a portrait was £31 10s. The subject is John Purling. He was a director of the East India Company and was elected an MP in 1772.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | John Purling (1727-1801) (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | oil on canvas |
| Brief description | Oil painting, 'John Purling', Thomas Gainsborough, ca. 1770-ca. 1780 |
| Physical description | Bust length portrait of John Purling (1722-1800), in an oval. John Purling was a director of the East India Company. He was a candidate in the notoriously corrupt Shoreham Election of 1770, and was elected an MP in 1772. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mrs G. M. Spear |
| Object history | Provenance : Family descent to Hastings N. Middleton, 1871; Middleton sale, Sotheby's 18/6/1952, lot 47, bt. Leger; 1957, Mrs G. M. Spear. Bequeathed by Mrs G. M. Spear, 1970 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Gainsborough moved to London in 1774. The lively brushwork of this portrait is typical of his late style. At this time, his usual fee for such a portrait was £31 10s. The subject is John Purling. He was a director of the East India Company and was elected an MP in 1772. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Walter Armstrong, "Thomas Gainsborough", 1898, p.201.
Ellis Waterhouse, "Gainsborough", 1966 ed., p.86, No.566, colour pl. p.28.
Repr. "The Connoisseur, Dec. 1954, p.260. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | P.28-1970 |
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| Record created | July 26, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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