Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 32 works by John Wollaston in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals John Wollaston left, the most famous is Alderman David Wharam, Mayor of Rochester (1744) (1740), in the collection of the Guildhall Museum, Rochester. Close behind it come Captain Jacob Elton (1712–1745), RN (1741) and Ryland Randolph (1756). Our catalog holds 32 works by John Wollaston; the gallery has kept the 30 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
The subject is presented in a formal, centered composition, gazing directly at the viewer from a dark, indeterminate background. He wears a red coat accented with white trim, a garment that signals both status and official capacity. A black hat and a white shirt complete the attire of a gentleman of the mid-eighteenth century. His long hair and beard frame a face marked by age, suggesting a life of experience…
The year is 1756, and the air in the room feels heavy with the quiet dignity of a bygone era. Ryland Randolph sits in a poised profile, his gaze directed outward with a serious, contemplative expression that demands immediate respect. He exists in a moment of stillness, a man of high-ranking status and military prestige caught in a permanent state of readiness. His midnight blue coat, deep and commanding, catches…
In this oil painting on canvas, John Wollaston presents a formal study of Mrs. Cadwallader Colden. Created about 1749, the work captures a woman of significant social standing through a quiet, dignified presence. The portrait measures 76 x 64 cm, a scale that allows for an intimate encounter with the sitter's likeness and the intricate details of her period attire.
This oil on canvas portrait depicts a man identified as John Stevens (?). Executed by the artist John Wollaston, the work dates to 1752. The subject is presented in a formal, Neoclassical style, focusing on the head and shoulders of the sitter against a dark, indistinct background. This composition directs the viewer's attention toward the facial features and the specific textures of the subject's attire.
A Gentleman of the Morris Family is a portrait painting of a gentleman, executed by the artist John Wollaston. The work dates to 1752. The sitter is identified as Lewis Morris, a man of significant political weight who served as a statesman and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The Portrait of Lucy Parry, Wife of Admiral Parry by John Wollaston presents a seated woman positioned centrally within the frame. The composition follows a balanced arrangement that directs the viewer's gaze toward the subject's face and her detailed attire. She is set against a dark, somewhat blurred background where elements of foliage and sky are visible. This arrangement creates a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective, as the distant…
The gaze of Joseph Reade meets yours with an unwavering clarity, pulling you into a moment frozen in 1749. He sits with a quiet authority, his posture upright and composed, as if the weight of his political and social responsibilities in New York City rests lightly upon his shoulders. A deep crimson velvet backdrop wraps around him, its heavy texture providing a dark, dramatic stage that pushes his figure forward…
The portrait presents a man in formal military attire, his posture commanding and his arms outstretched to claim the space. He is positioned centrally, dominating the frame against a backdrop of soft foliage and a heavy, clouded sky. The lighting is deliberate, casting strong highlights across his face and upper body to define the sharp contours of his features. Every detail of his presence is rendered with meticulous precision, from…
George Whitefield1742 · National Portrait Gallery
12
John Colson (1680–1759), Lucasian Professor of Mathematics (1739)1741 · Old Schools
13
Sir Theodore Turquet de Mayerne (1573–1655)1734 · Bodleian Libraries
14
Mary Walton Morris1752 · National Gallery of Art
15
Unidentified British Navy Officer1745 · National Gallery of Art
16
Cadwallader Colden1749 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
17
Mrs. Joseph Reade1749 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
18
Mrs. Charles Carroll1754 · Detroit Institute of Arts
19
Captain Samuel Hood (1724–1816)1748 · National Maritime Museum
20
Sir William Johnson (1715-1774)1752 · Albany Institute of History - Art
21
Walter Charleton (1619–1707)Bodleian Libraries
22
Judith Smith (Mrs. James Ladson)1767 · Gibbes Museum of Art
23
William Axtell1749 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
24
Thomas Willis (1621–1675)Bodleian Libraries
25
Portrait of Thomas Willing
26
Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682)Bodleian Libraries
27
Thomas Sydenham (1624–1689)Bodleian Libraries
28
Portrait of Captain Saumarez (1710 1747)
29
William Harvey (1578–1657)Bodleian Libraries
30
Francis Glisson (1599 –1677)Bodleian Libraries
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 John Wollaston | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bodleian Libraries |
Oxford | 7 | Sir Theodore Turquet de Mayerne (1573–1655), Walter Charleton (1619–1707), Thomas Willis (1621–1675) |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 5 | Mrs. Cadwallader Colden, Joseph Reade, Cadwallader Colden |
 National Gallery of Art |
Washington | 4 | John Stevens (?), A Gentleman of the Morris Family, Mary Walton Morris |
 National Portrait Gallery |
London | 2 | Thomas Britton, George Whitefield |
 Guildhall Museum |
Rochester | 1 | Alderman David Wharam, Mayor of Rochester (1744) |
 National Trust |
Clevedon | 1 | Captain Jacob Elton (1712–1745), RN |
 Wilton House Museum |
Richmond | 1 | Ryland Randolph |
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 1 | Portrait of Lucy Parry, Wife of Admiral Parry |
From 1752 to 1767, John Wollaston worked for 16 years: the selection follows that long career year by year, through its finest originals.
Pick a year to see its originals.
This oil on canvas portrait depicts a man identified as John Stevens (?). Executed by the artist John Wollaston, the work dates to 1752. The subject is presented in a formal, Neoclassical style, focusing on the head and shoulders of the sitter against a dark, indistinct background. This composition directs the viewer's attention toward the facial features and the specific textures of the subject's attire.
More from 1752
The year is 1756, and the air in the room feels heavy with the quiet dignity of a bygone era. Ryland Randolph sits in a poised profile, his gaze directed outward with a serious, contemplative expression that demands immediate respect. He exists in a moment of stillness, a man of high-ranking status and military prestige caught in a permanent state of readiness. His midnight blue coat, deep and commanding, catches…
It is presumed that John Wollaston was the son of the noted London portraitist John Wollaston. He was likely trained by his father, though it has also been suggested that he received instruction from Joseph van Acken, a highly successful drapery painter who completed costume and background detail in portraits by leading British Rococo artists, Allan Ramsay and Thomas Hudson. Trained in the English Rococo tradition, Wollaston arrived in America…
Alderman David Wharam, Mayor of Rochester (1744) (1740), Guildhall Museum, Rochester. Captain Jacob Elton (1712–1745), RN (1741) and Ryland Randolph (1756) come next.
Alderman David Wharam, Mayor of Rochester (1744), Captain Jacob Elton (1712–1745), RN, Ryland Randolph, Mrs. Cadwallader Colden, John Stevens (?), A Gentleman of the Morris Family, Portrait of Lucy Parry, Wife of Admiral Parry, Joseph Reade, Portrait of General Staats Long Morris and Thomas Britton. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 32 works by John Wollaston, dated from 1752 to 1767.
Mostly in Bodleian Libraries (Oxford), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and National Gallery of Art (Washington). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1752: 4 of the 30 works on this page were made then, John Stevens (?) among them.
On this page, the earliest is John Stevens (?) (1752) and the latest Judith Smith (Mrs. James Ladson) (1767).
Portrait (7), Portraiture (6) and 18th century (5), across the 30 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 8 of the 30 works on this page.
Rococo, judging by the originals on this page.
Sir Theodore Turquet de Mayerne (1573–1655), Walter Charleton (1619–1707) and Thomas Willis (1621–1675): the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford holds 7 of the works on this page.
In the mid-eighteenth century, as the American colonies began to stir with a burgeoning sense of identity, a sophisticated breeze from London arrived on their shores, carried by the brush of John Wollaston. A painter of profound grace and technical finesse, Wollaston stands as a singular figure in the annals of American art history—a British master who irrevocably shaped the aesthetic landscape of the colonies. While later giants like Benjamin West and Gilbert Stuart would command the spotlight of American portraiture, Wollaston’s true contribution lies in his role as a pioneer, introducing the delicate elegance and shimmering sophistication of the Rococo style to North America. He was more than a mere chronicler of faces; he was an ambassador of European refinement, marking one of the first instances where a truly continental artistic movement flourished across the Atlantic.
The early life of Wollaston remains shrouded in the soft mists of history, leaving much to the imagination of scholars. Born in London, he was likely the scion of a painter, though the records of his lineage are famously contested. Some accounts identify his father as John Wollaston, while others, drawing from the witty anecdotes of Horace Walpole, suggest the name was originally Woolston—a change made to mirror the era's aristocratic trend of adopting more prestigious titles. While his formal training is not documented in detail, the evidence of his skill is undeniable. The letters of Charles Willson Peale hint that Wollaston studied the intricate art of drapery with a London master, a specialty that would become his hallmark. Whether he was mentored by his father or influenced by the celebrated drapery painter Joseph van Aken, Wollaston emerged with a command over fabric and light that mirrored the finest talents of the British Rococo tradition.
Wollaston’s artistic identity was deeply rooted in the English Rococo, a style characterized by its lightness, grace, and an almost tactile obsession with texture. His work bears an unmistakable resemblance to the portraits of Thomas Hudson and Allan Ramsay, capturing not just the likeness of his subjects but the very essence of their social standing. He possessed a remarkable ability to render the heavy sheen of silk, the delicate lace of a collar, and the complex folds of velvet, creating a visual language of luxury that captivated the colonial elite. This mastery of drapery was not merely decorative; it served to imbue his subjects with a sense of movement and vitality, making the static medium of portraiture feel alive and breathing.
His journey across the Atlantic in 1749 marked a transformative chapter for both the artist and the colonies. Settling initially in New York City, Wollaston began a nomadic period of intense creativity, traveling along the Atlantic seaboard to bring the latest London fashions to American patrons. His presence fostered a burgeoning artistic dialogue between Britain and its colonies, establishing a precedent for stylistic experimentation that would resonate through subsequent generations. Despite his travels, Wollaston remained profoundly connected to his English roots. This steadfast identity is poignantly captured in the inscription on the back of his portrait of William Smith, Jr., where he identified himself as "Johnannes Wollaston Londoniensis," a proud declaration of his London origins amidst the American wilderness.
Though his life was tragically short, ending in 1775, the impact of John Wollaston’s career remains etched in the history of early American art. He provided the colonial upper class with a visual mirror that reflected their aspirations toward European sophistication. His ability to translate the high fashion of London into the colonial context allowed for a shared cultural vocabulary between the Old and New Worlds. The following elements define his enduring historical footprint:
Today, when we look upon the works attributed to Wollaston, we see more than just portraits of the colonial past; we see the arrival of an era of elegance. His brush captured a moment in time when the colonies were beginning to dream of grandeur, and through his art, that dream was rendered in silk, lace, and light.
