Portret van John Smart

De 43 bekendste schilderijen van John Smart, een selectie uit de galerie

Bijgewerkt in november 2026 · gerangschikt op basis van onze populariteitsscore (zoekopdrachten, bezoeken en bestellingen per kunstwerk) · 40 werken van John Smart in onze catalogus

Kortom

Van alle originele werken die John Smart heeft nagelaten, is Sir William Hood (1766) het bekendst, in de collectie van het Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Direct daarna volgen Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken (1775) en Portrait of a Gentleman (1766). Onze catalogus bevat 40 werken van John Smart; de galerie heeft de 43 meest bewonderde werken ter wereld bewaard, elk voorzien van de datum, het museum en het verhaal erachter.

1741 – 1811, Norfolk Neoclassicism Meeste werken: Yale Center for British Art

De top 10 schilderijen van John Smart: de selectie van de galerie

1
Sir William Hood (1766) door John Smart

Sir William Hood

1766 · Ivory · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The portrait titled Sir William Hood is a work by the British artist John Smart. Born in Norfolk, Smart captured this sitter in a moment of quiet, aristocratic poise. The image presents a man of status, his presence defined by the sharp contrast of a white cravat against a deep crimson waistcoat. It is a study of a single life held within a small, oval frame.

2
Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken (1775) door John Smart

Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken

1775 · Watercolor · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

To hold this miniature is to hold a fragment of the Georgian era, a quiet encounter with Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken. Painted in 1775, the portrait captures the Swedish diplomat in a moment of composed dignity. He is presented in a three-quarter view, his gaze steady and his expression carrying the weight of his station. The subject is framed within an oval gold-toned locket, an intimate scale that demands…

3
Portrait of a Gentleman (1766) door John Smart

Portrait of a Gentleman

1766 · Watercolor · Yale Center for British Art, New Haven

is a portrait miniature executed by the British artist John Smart. Dating to 1766, the work captures a single gentleman from the mid-18th century. It represents a period of significant technical development in the art of the miniature, focusing on the intimate scale of the individual subject.

4
Portrait of an Elderly Lady (1767) door John Smart

Portrait of an Elderly Lady

1767 · Gouache · Yale Center for British Art, New Haven

In the Portrait of an Elderly Lady by John Smart, the subject is captured in a centered, bust-length view within a delicate oval format. The perspective is a direct, eye-level gaze that invites a sense of closeness. She sits against a neutral, olive-toned background, a quiet space that allows her presence to remain the singular focus. Her expression is serene and slightly pleasant, carrying a weight of quiet wisdom through…

5
Captain Marriott (1777) door John Smart

Captain Marriott

1777 · Watercolor · Yale Center for British Art, New Haven

This 1777 portrait miniature, titled Captain Marriott, presents an intimate oval-shaped bust-length depiction of a young man in profile. Facing left, the subject is rendered with a calm and dignified expression that conveys a sense of quiet nobility or military poise. The composition is characterized by a vibrant, saturated red coat that stands in sharp contrast to the crisp white of his cravat and powdered hair. A soft, neutral greyish-brown…

6
Portrait of a Gentleman (1773) door John Smart

Portrait of a Gentleman

1773 · Watercolor · Yale Center for British Art, New Haven

To hold this miniature is to encounter a moment of poised dignity from 1773. The subject, a young man captured in a three-quarter view, gazes out with a calm expression that suggests a life of composure. He is framed within an oval composition, a choice that focuses the viewer entirely on the subtle nuances of his features and the texture of his attire. There is an immediate sense of presence…

7
Robert, first Baron Clive of Plassey (1776) door John Smart

Robert, first Baron Clive of Plassey

1776 · Gouache · Yale Center for British Art, New Haven

This portrait of Robert, first Baron Clive of Plassey, was executed by the artist John Smart in 1776. The work presents the subject as a middle-aged man positioned in a bust-length view. He is depicted wearing military attire, which includes a red jacket with deep blue lapels. Gold embroidery adorns the edges of the lapels. A white cravat and a powdered wig frame the face of the subject.

De selectie van John Smart gaat verder, van 11 tot 43

De onderwerpen die de aandacht van John Smart troffen

De vier onderwerpen die het meest voorkomen in deze originelen, elk met zijn mooiste voorbeeld.

De musea waar de originele werken van John Smart worden bewaard

De 4 musea met de meeste schilderijen op deze pagina.

Museum Stad Werken van John Smart Schilderijen uit deze lijst
Yale Center for British Art, New HavenYale Center for British Art New Haven 10 Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of an Elderly Lady, Captain Marriott
Nationalmuseum, StockholmNationalmuseum Stockholm 8 Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken, John Smart Junior, the artists son, Lady Deering
Cleveland Museum of Art, ClevelandCleveland Museum of Art Cleveland 5 Portrait of Constantine Phipps, Portrait of Mrs. Nathaniel Bailey, née Lamack, Portrait of an Officer
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMetropolitan Museum of Art New York 4 Sir William Hood, Mrs. Comyns, Mrs. Caroline Deas

John Smart decennium voor decennium: het origineel dat elk tijdperk definieert

Werken per decennium

Kies een decennium om het origineel te zien dat dit tijdperk definieert.

Vragen van verzamelaars over de schilderijen van John Smart

Waar is John Smart het meest bekend om?Onthul het antwoord

Sir William Hood (1766), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken (1775) en Portrait of a Gentleman (1766) volgen.

Hoe oud was John Smart toen Sir William Hood werd gemaakt?Onthul het antwoord

25 jaar oud: Sir William Hood dateert uit 1766, en John Smart werd geboren in 1741.

Wat zijn de tien beroemdste schilderijen van John Smart?Onthul het antwoord

Sir William Hood, Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken, Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of an Elderly Lady, Captain Marriott, Portrait of a Gentleman, Robert, first Baron Clive of Plassey, John Smart Junior, the artists son, Portrait of Constantine Phipps en Portrait of a Lady. De bovenstaande ranglijst vermeldt het jaar en het museum van elk werk.

Hoeveel schilderijen heeft John Smart nagelaten?Onthul het antwoord

Onze catalogus bevat 40 werken van John Smart, daterend van 1760 tot 1799.

In welke musea hangen de meesterwerken van John Smart?Onthul het antwoord

Voornamelijk in Yale Center for British Art (New Haven), Nationalmuseum (Stockholm) en Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland). De bovenstaande museumtabel bevat een volledig overzicht.

In welke jaren schilderde John Smart de beroemdste werken?Onthul het antwoord

In 1770s: 9 van de 43 werken op deze pagina werden toen gemaakt, waaronder Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken.

Wat zijn de eerste en de laatste beroemde originelen van John Smart?Onthul het antwoord

Op deze pagina is het vroegste Mrs. Comyns (1760) en het laatste Portrait of Lieutenant General Daniel Burr (1799).

Welke onderwerpen koos John Smart het vaakst?Onthul het antwoord

Man (6), White cravat (4) en Red coat (3), verspreid over de 43 werken op deze pagina.

Welke techniek gebruikte John Smart het meest?Onthul het antwoord

Watercolor, voor 4 van de 43 werken op deze pagina.

Bij welke kunststroming behoort John Smart?Onthul het antwoord

Neoclassicism, te oordelen aan de originelen op deze pagina.

Welke werken van John Smart hangen in het Yale Center for British Art?Onthul het antwoord

Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of an Elderly Lady en Captain Marriott: het Yale Center for British Art, New Haven herbergt 10 van de werken op deze pagina.

John Smart: leven en werk

A Legacy in Miniature

In the delicate, luminous world of eighteenth-century British portraiture, few names evoke the same sense of intimate precision as John Smart. A master of the miniature, Smart possessed the rare ability to compress the grandeur of the Georgian era into tiny, ivory canvases that felt as vast and profound as the souls they depicted. While his physical works were small enough to be held in the palm of a hand, the impact of his artistry was monumental, bridging the gap between the formal rigidity of classical portraiture and the burgeoning emotional depth of the Romantic movement.

Born in Norfolk, United Kingdom, Smart’s early life remains somewhat shrouded in the soft mists of history, yet the traces of his development reveal an artist deeply connected to the pulse of English art. His talent was evident from a young age; in 1755, he was recorded as a runner-up in a drawing competition for under-fourteens held by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. This early recognition led him to London, where he attended the drawing school of William Shipley alongside other notable contemporaries like Richard Cosway.

Technical Mastery and the Luminous Glow

To gaze upon a true John Smart miniature is to witness a masterclass in light and texture. His technique was nothing short of alchemy, often employing the grisaille method—a sophisticated process where a monochrome underpainting establishes the foundational shadows and structural tones. Upon this skeletal framework, he applied incredibly thin, translucent glazes of color. This layering allowed light to pass through the pigment and reflect off the white ivory base, creating an ethereal, inner glow that seemed to emanate from within the subject itself.

Unlike some of his contemporaries, such as Cosway, whose work often leaned toward a more flamboyant style, Smart’s approach was characterized by a quiet, grey-toned palette and subtle flesh tints. He possessed a profound knowledge of anatomy, ensuring that his portraits were drawn with greater anatomical accuracy than almost any other miniature painter of his era. His ability to use fine white lines over loose brushstrokes to suggest individual hairs or the delicate stippling of a face provided a degree of warmth and depth that was truly unique.

A Journey Through Art and Empire

Smart’s career was marked by both professional leadership and geographical exploration. He exhibited at the Society of Artists in London from 1762 onwards, eventually ascending to the position of president in 1778. His reach extended far beyond the borders of England; in 1788, he traveled to India, where he was based in Madras. During this period, he obtained numerous commissions, creating works that captured the essence of his subjects even while far from his London roots.

The historical significance of his work is preserved through remarkable collections, such as the Starr collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which includes a signed and dated miniature for nearly every year of his career. This chronological record allows scholars to witness the full progression of his style and the changing fashions of the period. Through his meticulous dedication to the art of the miniature, John Smart left behind a window into human truth, capturing the quiet, psychological nuances of the Georgian age.