Portrait of Clarkson Stanfield is an 1829 portrait painting by the British artist John Simpson depicting his fellow painter Clarkson Stanfield. Stanfield, a former sailor, was noted for his maritime paintings.https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-13815 The following year he enjoyed his breakthrough with Mount St Michael, Cornwall leading to commissions from William IV.https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/3/collection/404789/portsmouth-harbour Before this he has been known for his set designs at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.Ormond p.427
Simpson had been a pupil of Thomas Lawrence, the leading British portraitist of the Regency era, and was a friend or Stanfield. The painting was commissioned by the politician and art collector George Watson-Taylor. The work was displayed at the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1830 at Somerset House. Today the painting is in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/clarkson-stanfield-17931867-175627 Simpson produced two other portraits of Stanfield, one of which is now in the National Portrait Gallery. In 1834 the engraver William Say produced a mezzotint based on this version.https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-13815
References
Bibliography Ormond, Richard. Early Victorian Portraits: Text. H.M. Stationery Office, 1974. Van der Merwe, Pieter & Took, Roger. The Spectacular career of Clarkson Stanfield. Tyne and Wear County Council Museums, 1979.