Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 48 works by Nathaniel Hone the Elder in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Nathaniel Hone the Elder left, the most famous is Portrait of a Gentleman (1769), in the collection of the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. Close behind it come Portrait of a Lady (1750) and Self-Portrait with an Easel (1747). Our catalog holds 48 works by Nathaniel Hone the Elder; the gallery has kept the 34 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
The Portrait of a Gentleman is a work by Nathaniel Hone the Elder. Created about 1769, this piece captures a formal likeness of an aristocratic or upper-class young man. The subject faces the viewer with a quiet, composed presence, held within the confines of a small, precious scale.
This highly detailed portrait miniature, dating from 1750, presents a formal and elegant depiction of a young woman from the mid-18th century. Housed within the rectangular lid of a decorative, dark tortoiseshell box, the artwork features a central oval portrait framed by a thin gold rim. The subject is shown in a close-up, bust-length view, focusing entirely on her features and adornments.
In this intimate oil painting, Self-Portrait with an Easel, the artist Nathaniel Hone the Elder captures himself in a quiet moment of reflection. The work emerges from 1747, a time when the painter is establishing his presence through the medium of portraiture. He presents himself not merely as a subject, but as a practitioner of his craft, leaning into the tools of his trade.
This 1759 portrait miniature presents a young woman in profile, facing toward the right. The subject is rendered with pale skin and a soft pink flush on the cheek. Her blue eyes are directed forward, and her dark hair is pulled back away from her face. A blue kerchief, decorated with subtle gold patterns, is tied around her head. This headwrap matches a blue garment draped over her shoulders. A…
This 1763 miniature presents a head-and-shoulders view of a man, captured in a delicate, oval-shaped format. The subject faces the viewer's right, though his gaze is directed back toward the observer, creating an immediate psychological connection. A dark, neutral background provides a sharp contrast to the subject, pushing the figure forward through a careful application of light. This illumination, originating from the upper left, casts soft shadows across the face…
The portrait miniature titled Unknown woman (NMB 737) captures a young woman in a quiet, oval-shaped moment. Painted by Nathaniel Hone the Elder, the work presents the subject from the chest up. It is a small window into the mid-eighteenth century, dating to about 1759. The sitter gazes forward with a serene expression, her presence held within the delicate confines of the format.
The Portrait of a Man is a work by Nathaniel Hone the Elder, dated 1760. This portrait depicts a young man presented from the chest up. The subject is positioned with his torso facing forward, though his head is turned slightly toward the viewer's left.
The portrait depicts a young boy, John Camillus Hone, positioned in a bust-length composition against a dark, near-black background. He is captured in a moment of quiet concentration, his gaze directed toward the wooden flute held to his lips. The lighting originates from the upper left, casting a soft shadow across the right side of his face and highlighting the bridge of his nose and his hands. This directional light…
The oil painting titled Portrait of a Boy (Horace Hone), Sketching was created by the Irish-born artist Nathaniel Hone the Elder. This work, dating from about 1766, captures a young boy in a moment of quiet concentration. The subject is shown engaged in the act of sketching, his attention fixed upon his task.
Portrait of a Lady1770 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
12
Portrait of a Lady1766 · Yale Center for British Art
13
Self Portrait1768
14
Self-Portrait1780 · National Gallery of Ireland
15
Portrait of a Gentleman1784 · National Gallery of Ireland
16
Frances Cole (née Wager)1776 · Yale Center for British Art
17
Benjamin Cole1776 · Yale Center for British Art
18
Portrait of a Woman (called 'Anne Craster, d.1832')1784 · Bodleian Libraries
19
David Colyear (1736–1756), Viscount Milsington1755 · National Trust
20
Sir John Durbin (1734–1814)1757 · National Trust
21
Nathaniel Curzon (1726–1804), 1st Baron Scarsdale, and His Wife Lady Caroline Colyear (1733–1812), Lady Scarsdale, Walking in the Grounds at Kedleston1761 · National Trust
22
Charles Lee Lewes (1740–1803)1767 · The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
23
John Wesley1766 · National Portrait Gallery
24
Bartholomew Ruspini (1728–1813), Chevalier, with Family1775 · The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
25
General Lloyd1773 · Fitzwilliam College
26
Sir John Fielding1773 · La Cour suprême
27
Kitty Fisher (d.1767)1784
28
Portrait of a Lady in a Blue Dress, possibly Mrs Mary Barnardiston1779
29
The Honourable Mrs Nathaniel Curzon1778 · Fitzwilliam College
30
Self-PortraitNational Gallery of Ireland
31
Portrait of a Boy
32
Portrait of a GentlemanTemple Newsam House
33
Mary Savile (1700–1751), Countess of ThanetAbbot Hall Art Gallery
34
The Conjuror1775 · National Gallery of Ireland
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 Nathaniel Hone the Elder | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Gallery of Ireland |
Dublin City | 7 | Self-Portrait with an Easel, A Piping Boy: John Camillus Hone (1759-1836), the Artist's Son, Portrait of a Boy (Horace Hone), Sketching |
 Yale Center for British Art |
New Haven | 6 | Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of a Lady, Portrait of a Gentleman |
 Nationalmuseum |
Stockholm | 2 | Self-portrait, Unknown woman (NMB 737) |
 National Trust |
Derby | 2 | David Colyear (1736–1756), Viscount Milsington, Nathaniel Curzon (1726–1804), 1st Baron Scarsdale, and His Wife Lady Caroline Colyear (1733–1812), Lady Scarsdale, Walking in the Grounds at Kedleston |
 Fitzwilliam College |
Cambridge | 2 | General Lloyd, The Honourable Mrs Nathaniel Curzon |
 Musée Cognacq-Jay |
Paris | 1 | Portrait of a Young Woman with a Blue Kerchief |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 1 | Portrait of a Man |
 Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art |
Providence | 1 | Portrait of a Lady |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In this intimate oil painting, Self-Portrait with an Easel, the artist Nathaniel Hone the Elder captures himself in a quiet moment of reflection. The work emerges from 1747, a time when the painter is establishing his presence through the medium of portraiture. He presents himself not merely as a subject, but as a practitioner of his craft, leaning into the tools of his trade.
This highly detailed portrait miniature, dating from 1750, presents a formal and elegant depiction of a young woman from the mid-18th century. Housed within the rectangular lid of a decorative, dark tortoiseshell box, the artwork features a central oval portrait framed by a thin gold rim. The subject is shown in a close-up, bust-length view, focusing entirely on her features and adornments.
The Portrait of a Gentleman is a work by Nathaniel Hone the Elder. Created about 1769, this piece captures a formal likeness of an aristocratic or upper-class young man. The subject faces the viewer with a quiet, composed presence, held within the confines of a small, precious scale.
The Portrait of a Lady by Nathaniel Hone the Elder brings a quiet presence into the room. Dating from about 1750, this work captures a female figure dressed in the elegant attire of the 18th century. She exists within a delicate, intimate scale, characteristic of the portrait miniature style from the Early Modern period. There is a sense of stillness in her gaze, as if she has just paused mid-motion…
A middle-aged man sits in a three-quarter length pose, his gaze fixed directly upon the viewer. He is positioned slightly to the left of the center, a figure of quiet composure against a receding landscape. He wears a brown coat over a yellow waistcoat, the fabric rendered with smooth, deliberate brushwork. A white cravat catches the light, bright against the warmer tones of his attire. To his left, the head…
Portrait of a Gentleman (1769), Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. Portrait of a Lady (1750) and Self-Portrait with an Easel (1747) come next.
51 years old: Portrait of a Gentleman dates from 1769, and Nathaniel Hone the Elder was born in 1718.
Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of a Lady, Self-Portrait with an Easel, Portrait of a Young Woman with a Blue Kerchief, Self-portrait, Unknown woman (NMB 737), Portrait of a Man, Portrait of a Gentleman, A Piping Boy: John Camillus Hone (1759-1836), the Artist's Son and Portrait of a Boy (Horace Hone), Sketching. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 48 works by Nathaniel Hone the Elder, dated from 1747 to 1784.
Mostly in National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin City), Yale Center for British Art (New Haven) and Nationalmuseum (Stockholm). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1760s: 11 of the 34 works on this page were made then, Portrait of a Gentleman among them.
On this page, the earliest is Self-Portrait with an Easel (1747) and the latest Portrait of a Gentleman (1784).
Man (9), Woman (7) and Dark background (7), across the 34 works on this page.
Watercolor, for 7 of the 34 works on this page.
Neoclassicism and Rococo, judging by the originals on this page.
Self-Portrait with an Easel, A Piping Boy: John Camillus Hone (1759-1836), the Artist's Son and Portrait of a Boy (Horace Hone), Sketching: the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin City holds 7 of the works on this page.
