Friday 16 February 2018

The Portraits of John Locke by and After Kneller




The Portraits of John Locke 
by and after Godfrey Kneller (d. 1723).

This post forms part of a much wider study into the portrait sculpture at Oxford University, with particular reference here to the lead Cheere type bust of John Locke at The Bodleian Library and the marble bust of Locke after Roubiliac by Edward Hodges Baily at Magdalen College, Oxford.

I am very grateful to Dana Josephson for suggesting the project and for all his assistance.

I would also like to thank Dr Nicolas Bell of the Wren Library, Sir David Clary, Lady Heather Clary and Rachel Mehtar at Magdalen College Oxford and Stephen Hebron of the Weston Library for making these posts possible.







John Locke
Godfrey Kneller
Formerly at Houghton

Hermitage Museum, St Petersberg.

There were several copies of this painting made in the early 18th Century.

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John Locke
 Studio of? Kneller
76.2 x 63.5 cms
with Philip Mould Historical Portraits.


This portrait follows closely the detail of the Houghton Kneller Portrait

http://www.historicalportraits.com/Gallery.asp?Page=Item&ItemID=720&Desc=John-Locke-|-Sir-Godfrey-Kneller-Bt.,-Studio-of

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John Locke 
after Kneller
The Vyne
National Trust

The drawing of the hair is different to the Kneller  but is the same as that used in the John Smith Mezzotint of 1721 and the George Vertue engraving of 1738 (below).




John Locke


National Portrait Gallery
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A selection of engravings, all after Godfey Kneller's original portrait.
I include them to illustrate that the various bust made of John Locke had their basis in the Kneller portraits and its engravings


Portrait of John Locke, half-length to front, with head turned to look towards right; wearing a loose gown over shirt with high collar; in an oval frame decorated with Acanthus leaves on top, placed on a pedestal, with coat of arms in front; after Kneller.  1713  Engraving


John Locke 
after Godfrey Kneller
George Vertue 
Engraving
251 x 162 mm.
1713.

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John Locke
After Kneller
Engraved Bernard Picart
141 x 87 mm
1721.
Rijksmuseum.

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Portrait of John Locke, half-length to front, with head turned to look towards right; wearing a loose gown over shirt with high collar; in an oval frame decorated with Acanthus leaves on top, placed on a pedestal, with coat of arms in front; after Kneller



John Locke
After G. Kneller.
Engraved by George Vertue.
178 x 101 mm.
1720.

British Museum.

Portrait, half length in an oval frame, open collar and gown. 1721  Mezzotint

John Locke.
After G. Kneller.
Mezzotint by John Smith.
347 x 351mm.
1721.

British Museum.


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Portrait, half-length to front, with head turned to look towards  right; wearing a loose gown over shirt with high collar; in an oval frame decorated with shell, scroll, Acanthus leaf and ribbon on top, placed over a pedestal, with cartouche in front, featuring a figure seated behind a globe and shield, holding a laurel branch, leaning on books; three volumes of books on left, lettered with "Lock. Vol. III.", "Lock I", and "Vol II."; illustration to Tindal's 'The continuation of Mr. Rapin's History of England' (London); after Kneller.  1738 Engraving and etching


John Locke
After Godfrey Kneller
George Vertue
Engraving
355 x 3225 mm.
1738.
Book Illustration from The Continuation of Mr Rapin's History of England.

British Museum