Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 154 works by William Powell Frith in our catalogue
In short
The Derby Day (1858) is the William Powell Frith painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Tate Britain, London. After it, the eye goes to Dr Johnson and Mrs Siddons in Bolt Court (1887) and John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots (1844). Among the 154 works of William Powell Frith in our catalog, these 100 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
William Powell Frith's “The Derby Day,” painted in 1858, isn’t merely a depiction of a horse race; it’s a meticulously crafted panorama of Victorian society at its most vibrant and, frankly, its most stratified. Exhibited to immediate acclaim at the Royal Academy, this large oil painting captures a single afternoon – a fleeting moment frozen in time – yet offers an astonishingly detailed window into the lives, aspirations, and social…
In this work, titled Dr Johnson and Mrs Siddons in Bolt Court, the artist William Powell Frith presents a quiet, intimate encounter between two significant figures of the era. The painting captures Dr. Samuel Johnson and Mrs. Siddons in a moment of shared presence. It is a study of character and connection, rendered with the meticulous observation that defined Frith's approach to his subjects.
The history painting John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots by William Powell Frith, executed in 1844, depicts a specific historical confrontation. The scene illustrates the fourth of a series of audiences in which the reformer John Knox confronted Mary, Queen of Scots. This particular encounter focuses on the discussions regarding her planned marriage to Lord Darnley.
The young man in this oil on canvas is William Powell Frith, captured in a moment of quiet introspection. Painted in 1838, the work presents the artist as a nineteen-year-old student, peering out from a time when his professional path was just beginning to take shape. At this stage, he is a resident of 6 Charlotte Street, a location that marks his early presence in the London art scene. The…
William Powell Frith’s masterful depiction of a bustling railway station is more than just a painting; it's a vibrant snapshot of nineteenth-century England, teeming with life and narrative. Completed in 1862, the original canvas captivated audiences with its meticulous detail and unprecedented scale for genre painting. This hand-painted acrylic reproduction faithfully captures that spirit, inviting viewers to step back in time and immerse themselves in the energy of Paddington Station.
The oil painting titled Self-Portrait at the Age of 83 was executed by the artist William Powell Frith. Created in 1901, this work functions as a self-portrait, capturing the likeness of the artist himself. The subject depicted in the composition is William Powell Frith, presented in a bust-length view that focuses on the facial features and head of the sitter.
Mr Honeywood Introduces the Bailiffs to Miss Richland as His Friends (also known as rom Oliver Goldsmith's 'The Good Natured Man', Act III, Scene 1)1850
12
Feeding Time (My Lady's Pets)1860 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
13
Eastham Ferry Boat1862 · Williamson Art Gallery - Museum
14
William Powell Frith1867 · National Portrait Gallery
15
Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) when Princess of Wales1867 · Royal Collection
16
Olivia unveiling1874
17
The Marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra)1878 · Royal London Hospital
18
Retribution1880 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
19
Self Portrait1883
20
After The Bath
21
Lovers
22
Portrait of a Lady La Marquise1885 · Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
23
The railway station
24
My First Attempt from Nature1837
25
An English Merry Making, a Hundred Years Ago1846
26
Dolly Varden1842
27
The Merry Wives of Windsor1843
28
The Highwayman1848
29
Measuring Heights (from Oliver Goldsmith's 'The Vicar of Wakefield')1842
30
The Sleeping Model1853 · Royal Academy of Arts
31
Mary, Queen of Scots Bidding Farewell to France, 15611851
32
Monsieur Jourdain's Dancing Lesson (from Molière's 'Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme', Act II, Scene 1)1850
33
Little Dorrit1859
34
The Two Central Figures in Derby Day1860 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
35
Many Happy Returns of the Day1856 · Mercer Art Gallery
36
Madame Jourdain Finds Her Husband Entertaining Dorimène and Dorante1860
37
Hugh and Dolly Varden (from the novel 'Barnaby Rudge' by Charles Dickens)1863
38
The Salon d'Or, Homburg1870 · National Gallery of Canada
39
Isabelle Asleep1867
40
Little Seamstress1865
41
The Knight and the Maid1868
42
Mary Elizabeth Maxwell, née Braddon1865 · National Portrait Gallery
43
In Naples, Portrait of the Artist1875 · Hospitalfield Centre For Art - Culture
44
For Better, For Worse1881
45
The Invalid1890 · Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery
46
L'adieu de Marie Stuart1893 · Mercer Art Gallery
47
The Road To Ruin -
48
The Road To Ruin
49
The Crossing Sweeper
50
At the Opera
51
The Toilet
52
Evening Prayer -
53
Many Happy Returns of the Day
54
Coming Of Age In The Olden Time -
55
The Fair Toxophilites -
56
Evening Prayer
57
When we devote our youth to god
58
The Lover's Seat -
59
The Gossips
60
La Coranto -
61
A scene from Molieres LAvare
62
A may day celebration
63
Juliet o that i were a glove upon that hand
64
The ardour
65
The Miniature1883 · New Walk Museum - Art Gallery
66
Lancaster Sands, Lancashire1848 · Touchstones Rochdale Arts And Heritage Centre
67
The derby day
68
The Village Clergyman
69
John Knox Reproving Mary -
70
Coming Of Age In The Olden Time
71
Portrait Of A Lady Resting With Her Dog
72
Dolly Varden
73
Coming Of Age In The Olden Time -
74
Claude Duval
75
The minstrel,
76
London Flower Girl
77
The Toilet -
78
The Miniature
79
John Knox Reproving Mary
80
Wandering Thoughts
81
Hogarth Brought Before The Governor
82
A Question Of Faith
83
The proposal
84
The new frock
85
Sir Roger De Coverley And Addison
86
Othello And DesdemonaFitzwilliam Museum
87
The Flower Seller
88
Lovers -Art Institute of Chicago
89
Study of Miss Mortimer holding a Parasol
90
The Lover's Seat
91
The Fair Toxophilites
92
The Artist's Model
93
Bedtime
94
The signal
95
Village merrymaking
96
Tenby prawn seller
97
Lord Foppington Relating his Adventures
98
Sterne's Maria
99
Poverty And Wealth
100
The novice
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 William Powell Frith | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Portrait Gallery |
London | 3 | William Powell Frith, William Powell Frith, Mary Elizabeth Maxwell, née Braddon |
 Royal Collection |
London | 4 | Anne Page, Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) when Princess of Wales |
 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
Birmingham | 2 | Garden Flowers ( Making A Posy ), Retribution |
 Mercer Art Gallery |
Harrogate | 2 | Many Happy Returns of the Day, L'adieu de Marie Stuart |
 Sheffield City Art Galleries |
Sheffield | 2 | John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots |
 Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art |
Providence | 2 | Feeding Time (My Lady's Pets) |
 Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki |
Auckland | 2 | Portrait of a Lady La Marquise |
 Tate Britain |
London | 1 | The Derby Day |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The young man in this oil on canvas is William Powell Frith, captured in a moment of quiet introspection. Painted in 1838, the work presents the artist as a nineteen-year-old student, peering out from a time when his professional path was just beginning to take shape. At this stage, he is a resident of 6 Charlotte Street, a location that marks his early presence in the London art scene. The…
The history painting John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots by William Powell Frith, executed in 1844, depicts a specific historical confrontation. The scene illustrates the fourth of a series of audiences in which the reformer John Knox confronted Mary, Queen of Scots. This particular encounter focuses on the discussions regarding her planned marriage to Lord Darnley.
William Powell Frith's “The Derby Day,” painted in 1858, isn’t merely a depiction of a horse race; it’s a meticulously crafted panorama of Victorian society at its most vibrant and, frankly, its most stratified. Exhibited to immediate acclaim at the Royal Academy, this large oil painting captures a single afternoon – a fleeting moment frozen in time – yet offers an astonishingly detailed window into the lives, aspirations, and social…
In this work, titled Dr Johnson and Mrs Siddons in Bolt Court, the artist William Powell Frith presents a quiet, intimate encounter between two significant figures of the era. The painting captures Dr. Samuel Johnson and Mrs. Siddons in a moment of shared presence. It is a study of character and connection, rendered with the meticulous observation that defined Frith's approach to his subjects.
In the quiet corners of late nineteenth-century England, domestic life was often defined by a delicate balance of social propriety and deep-seated familial devotion. William Powell Frith’s 1890 masterpiece, "The Invalid," serves as a profound window into this era, capturing a moment that is simultaneously heavy with the weight of illness and lightened by the warmth of human connection. The painting presents a domestic tableau where a family gathers around…
The oil painting titled Self-Portrait at the Age of 83 was executed by the artist William Powell Frith. Created in 1901, this work functions as a self-portrait, capturing the likeness of the artist himself. The subject depicted in the composition is William Powell Frith, presented in a bust-length view that focuses on the facial features and head of the sitter.
The Derby Day (1858), Tate Britain, London. Dr Johnson and Mrs Siddons in Bolt Court (1887) and John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots (1844) come next.
39 years old: The Derby Day dates from 1858, and William Powell Frith was born in 1819.
The Derby Day, Dr Johnson and Mrs Siddons in Bolt Court, John Knox Reproving Mary, Queen of Scots, William Powell Frith, The Railway Station - William Powell Frith, King Henry And Anne Boleyn Deer Shooting, Self-Portrait at the Age of 83, The Duel Scene from 'Twelfth Night' by William Shakespeare, Garden Flowers ( Making A Posy ) and Anne Page. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 154 works by William Powell Frith, dated from 1837 to 1901.
Mostly in National Portrait Gallery (London), Royal Collection (London) and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Birmingham). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1860s: 11 of the 100 works on this page were made then, Feeding Time (My Lady's Pets) among them.
On this page, the earliest is My First Attempt from Nature (1837) and the latest Self-Portrait at the Age of 83 (1901).
Victorian era (14), Portraiture (5) and Victorian society (4), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 10 of the 100 works on this page.
Romanticism, judging by the originals on this page.
William Powell Frith, William Powell Frith and Mary Elizabeth Maxwell, née Braddon: the National Portrait Gallery, London holds 3 of the works on this page.
