Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 39 works by Lance Calkin in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Lance Calkin left, the most famous is Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914) (1902), in the collection of the British Library, London. Close behind it come Joseph Sim Earle (1839–1912) (1884) and Dr John Hughlings Jackson (1895). Our catalog holds 39 works by Lance Calkin; the gallery has kept the 31 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
An elderly gentleman sits in a centered, formal pose, his presence commanding the frame through a quiet, somber gravity. He is captured in a moment of profound thought, with one hand resting against his chin in a gesture of wisdom or deep reflection. The lighting is dramatic, emerging from an unseen source above and to the left to cast heavy shadows across his features and hands. This chiaroscuro effect emphasizes…
An elderly man emerges from a dark, indistinct void. He is a study in shadow and bone, his face a map of lived experience. The light falls from above and to the left, catching the ridge of a brow and the silvered texture of a beard. Every line on his skin tells of a season passed. He sits in a quiet, centered stillness, his gaze fixed on a point beyond…
In this portrait of Dr John Hughlings Jackson, Lance Calkin captures the likeness of a man whose intellectual presence is felt through a quiet, steady gaze. Created about 1895, the work presents the English neurologist with a sense of formal dignity. The subject, born at Providence Green, Green Hammerton, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, is depicted with the gravity suited to his professional standing. He was the youngest son of Samuel Jackson…
In this 1914 oil portrait, Lance Calkin captures the presence of King George V. The subject meets the viewer with a steady, calm gaze that seems to hold the weight of a changing era. There is a profound sense of dignity in the way the monarch is presented, a quality that defines the character of the man within the frame. The portrait offers a glimpse into a moment of quiet…
In this portrait of Reverend E. F. Witts, we encounter a man defined by his station and the gravity of his vocation. Painted in 1888, the work captures the Rector of Upper Slaughter during the final years of his life. There is a certain stillness here, a sense of a life lived within the structured rhythms of the Victorian church. The subject is presented in a three-quarter profile, his gaze…
In this portrait, we encounter Edward VII, the King of England from 1901 to 1910, captured in a moment of profound stillness. He is seated, his presence commanding the space through a quiet, regal composure rather than through overt movement. In his right hand, he holds a scepter, a direct symbol of his authority and the continuity of the British monarchy. A crown rests upon his head, grounding the image…
In this 1906 oil on canvas, Lance Calkin captures the presence of John Feeney. The subject sits before us, a man whose life is deeply woven into the fabric of Birmingham. As a prominent newspaper proprietor and a dedicated philanthropist, Feeney carries a certain weight in his gaze. He is a figure of influence, someone whose decisions shaped the local landscape and whose generosity would eventually leave a lasting mark…
In this 1881 portrait, we find ourselves in the presence of John Reynolds, a man whose life spanned the transition from the early nineteenth century into the modern era. He sits in a chair, his hands clasped in a gesture of stillness, looking away from the viewer toward something unseen in the distance. There is a certain weight to his posture, the kind that comes from a life of intellect…
The Patchwork Quilt is an oil on canvas painted by Lance Calkin in 1887. This work represents an exploration of domesticity and texture, focusing on the quiet details of a private, interior life. Through his careful application of paint, Calkin captures a specific sense of material presence within a domestic setting.
The painting depicts a man seated in a chair, his hands resting in a crossed position. He possesses a beard and a mustache, features that define his facial structure. He is dressed in a formal suit and tie, consistent with the attire of a gentleman from the late nineteenth century. The subject is positioned centrally, occupying much of the frame. In the composition, two birds are visible: one is situated…
Alderman John Barber, JP, Sheriff of Nottingham (1846), Mayor of Nottingham (1867–1869)1888 · Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery
12
'All pass away as the glimmer of day while others as fleet are born'1888 · Wollaton Hall
13
William Berkeley Monck (1842–1905)1897 · Reading Museum - Town Hall
14
John Hughlings Jackson (1835–1911)1894
15
T. Vincent Jackson (c.1836–1901), Surgeon, Mayor of Wolverhampton (1886–1887)1902 · New Cross Hospital
16
Richard Peyton1909 · University of Birmingham
17
Councillor Edward Lygon Somers Cocks, Mayor of Westminster (1910–1911)1912 · City of Westminster Archives Centre
18
Second Lieutenant Percy Orde Powlett, 4th Battalion1915 · The Green Howards Regimental Museum
19
Edward Anthony Beck (1848–1916), Master (1902–1916)1922 · Trinity Hall
20
Councillor Frank G. Rye, Mayor of Westminster (1922–1923)1924 · City of Westminster Archives Centre
21
Joseph Wolf1897 · Zoological Society of London
22
Lawrence Morton BrownGloucester City Museum - Art Gallery
23
Hibbert Oates
24
Owen Ridley (1838–1915)Reading Museum - Town Hall
25
Edward VIIDoncaster Mansion House
26
Emma Franks Oates
27
John James Audubon (1785–1851)
28
Emma Francis Oates
29
Sir Henry Howse, Surgeon to Guy's Hospital (1870–1902)Guy's Campus
30
Arthur Wellesley Peel, 1st Viscount PeelNational Portrait Gallery
31
Wreck of the 'Birkenhead' (copy after Thomas Hemy)The Black Watch Castle - Museum
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Lance Calkin | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Portrait Gallery |
London | 2 | King George V, Arthur Wellesley Peel, 1st Viscount Peel |
 Doncaster Mansion House |
Doncaster | 2 | Edward VII (1841–1910), Edward VII |
 Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery |
Nottingham | 2 | The Patchwork Quilt, Alderman John Barber, JP, Sheriff of Nottingham (1846), Mayor of Nottingham (1867–1869) |
 Reading Museum - Town Hall |
Reading | 2 | William Berkeley Monck (1842–1905), Owen Ridley (1838–1915) |
 City of Westminster Archives Centre |
London | 2 | Councillor Edward Lygon Somers Cocks, Mayor of Westminster (1910–1911), Councillor Frank G. Rye, Mayor of Westminster (1922–1923) |
 British Library |
London | 1 | Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914) |
 Barts And The London Queen Mary School of Medicine And Dentistry |
London | 1 | Dr John Hughlings Jackson |
 The Captain Christie Crawfurd English Civil War Collection |
Stow-Boro | 1 | Reverend E. F. Witts (1813–1886), Rector of Upper Slaughter (1884–1886) |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
An elderly man emerges from a dark, indistinct void. He is a study in shadow and bone, his face a map of lived experience. The light falls from above and to the left, catching the ridge of a brow and the silvered texture of a beard. Every line on his skin tells of a season passed. He sits in a quiet, centered stillness, his gaze fixed on a point beyond…
In this portrait of Dr John Hughlings Jackson, Lance Calkin captures the likeness of a man whose intellectual presence is felt through a quiet, steady gaze. Created about 1895, the work presents the English neurologist with a sense of formal dignity. The subject, born at Providence Green, Green Hammerton, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, is depicted with the gravity suited to his professional standing. He was the youngest son of Samuel Jackson…
An elderly gentleman sits in a centered, formal pose, his presence commanding the frame through a quiet, somber gravity. He is captured in a moment of profound thought, with one hand resting against his chin in a gesture of wisdom or deep reflection. The lighting is dramatic, emerging from an unseen source above and to the left to cast heavy shadows across his features and hands. This chiaroscuro effect emphasizes…
In this 1914 oil portrait, Lance Calkin captures the presence of King George V. The subject meets the viewer with a steady, calm gaze that seems to hold the weight of a changing era. There is a profound sense of dignity in the way the monarch is presented, a quality that defines the character of the man within the frame. The portrait offers a glimpse into a moment of quiet…
Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914) (1902), British Library, London. Joseph Sim Earle (1839–1912) (1884) and Dr John Hughlings Jackson (1895) come next.
43 years old: Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914) dates from 1902, and Lance Calkin was born in 1859.
Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914), Joseph Sim Earle (1839–1912), Dr John Hughlings Jackson, King George V, Reverend E. F. Witts (1813–1886), Rector of Upper Slaughter (1884–1886), Edward VII (1841–1910), John Feeney, John Reynolds (1826–1919), The Patchwork Quilt and David Powell (1840–1897), Governor of the Bank of England (1892–1895). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 39 works by Lance Calkin, dated from 1881 to 1924.
Mostly in National Portrait Gallery (London), Doncaster Mansion House (Doncaster) and Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery (Nottingham). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1880s: 6 of the 31 works on this page were made then, Joseph Sim Earle (1839–1912) among them.
On this page, the earliest is John Reynolds (1826–1919) (1881) and the latest Councillor Frank G. Rye, Mayor of Westminster (1922–1923) (1924).
Man (8), Beard (5) and Chair (5), across the 31 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 6 of the 31 works on this page.
King George V and Arthur Wellesley Peel, 1st Viscount Peel: the National Portrait Gallery, London holds 2 of the works on this page.
In the golden, twilight era of the nineteenth century, few artists captured the somber elegance and social gravity of British life as intimately as Lance Calkin. Born in London in 1859, Calkin was a product of both musical heritage and rigorous academic discipline. As the son of a musician, he likely developed an early sensitivity to rhythm and harmony—qualities that would later manifest in the balanced compositions and tonal precision of his oil paintings. His formal journey through the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art and the Royal Academy Schools provided him with a formidable foundation in classical principles, instilling a lifelong devotion to anatomical accuracy and the subtle interplay of light and shadow.
By 1895, Calkin had firmly established his professional presence by joining the Royal Institute of Painters in Oil Colours. This period marked his emergence as a significant voice within the British art community, a time when portraiture served not merely as a record of likeness but as a profound statement of character and social standing. His work was never characterized by the loud or the flamboyant; instead, he mastered the art of the understated. Through a meticulous application of paint, Calk in sought to reveal the inner essence of his subjects, using minute shifts in expression and posture to convey a sense of moral seriousness and quiet dignity that resonated with the Victorian ideals of his era.
The breadth of Calkin’s oeuvre is a testament to his versatility as a chronicler of his time. While he is most celebrated for his portraits, his repertoire extends into historical scenes and poignant social commentaries that capture the tension of a changing world. His ability to navigate between the formal rigidity of high-society portraiture and the raw emotion of historical events allowed him to document the Victorian zeitgeist with unparalleled depth.
Among his most notable contributions to the art historical record are works that highlight his technical mastery and thematic range:
Lance Calkin’s significance lies in his role as a visual historian. He did not merely paint faces; he painted the soul of an empire at its peak and during its transition into modernity. His work serves as a bridge between the rigid traditions of the Royal Academy and the burgeoning realism that would come to define much of late nineteenth-century art. By eschewing dramatic artifice in favor of truthful representation, he provided a window into the psychological landscape of the Victorian gentleman, the clergyman, and the common soldier alike.
Though his career spanned the turn of the century, the enduring power of his paintings lies in their timelessness. The meticulous detail with which he rendered fabric, skin, and light ensures that his subjects remain vibrant and present to the modern viewer. Today, as we look back upon the works of Calkin, we find more than just historical artifacts; we find a profound meditation on human dignity, captured through the steady, masterful hand of an artist who understood that the greatest truths are often found in the quietest moments.
