John Hamilton Mortimer

George Thompson, his Wife and (?) his Sister-in-Law

c.1766–8

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

Not on display

Artist: John Hamilton Mortimer 1740–1779
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 997 x 1260 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Bequeathed by Mrs Elizabeth Carstairs 1952
Reference: N06158

Display caption

The group shows Lt. Col. George Thompson and his wife, who have been reading the collected works of the satirical poet Charles Churchill. A lady visitor, carrying her reticule and flowers, interrupts their slippered ease. From the casual gesture with which Thompson motions her towards a chair, one can assume that she is a close relation.The cosy domesticity displayed here is the essence of the small-scale informal group portrait or conversation piece. It is not surprising that Mortimer, who was also a painter of lively theatrical scenes, endows the present portrait with a stage like presence – perhaps even incorporating a hidden joke.

Gallery label, May 2007

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Explore

interiors(4,587)
- domestic(1,835)
- - interior - non-specific(851)
objects(23,697)
- furnishings(3,126)
- - chair(940)
- clothing and personal items(6,037)
- - bag(96)
- reading, writing, printed matter(5,172)
- - book - non-specific(1,974)
people(35,869)
- actions: postures and motions(9,287)
- - sitting(3,396)
- adults(23,440)
- - man(10,874)
  - woman(9,321)
- named individuals(12,546)
- - Thompson(1)
  - Thompson, George(1)
- actions: expressive(2,681)
- - greeting(90)
- portraits(4,477)
- - groups(336)
  - individuals: female(1,706)
  - individuals: male(1,966)
society(35,463)
- family(4,139)
- - husband(1,426)
  - wife(1,595)

You might like

John Hamilton Mortimer II. The Hero’s Father Blesses his Departure

exhibited 1775
John Hamilton Mortimer I. The Hero Decides to Seek his Fortune

exhibited 1775
John Hamilton Mortimer IV. The Hero’s Father Blesses his Marriage

exhibited 1775
Johan Zoffany Colonel Blair with his Family and an Indian Ayah

1786
Sir Joshua Reynolds Sketch for ‘The 4th Duke of Marlborough and his Family’

c.1777
Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn and his Mother

c.1768–9

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Sir Joshua Reynolds Lord and Lady Ashburton

1782–7
Francis Hayman Thomas Nuthall and his Friend Hambleton Custance

c.1748
Johan Zoffany Mr and Mrs Dalton and their Niece Mary de Heulle

c.1765–8
George Romney Mr and Mrs William Lindow

1772
Francis Hayman Samuel Richardson, the Novelist (1684-1761), Seated, Surrounded by his Second Family

1740–1

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Francis Hayman The Author and his Reader; a Frontispiece to ‘The Tatler’

1759

View by appointment
Hugh Barron The Children of George Bond of Ditchleys

1768
Manner of John Hamilton Mortimer Rocky Landscape with Banditti

c.1770–80
John Hamilton Mortimer III. The Hero Rescues the Prisoners

exhibited 1775