The artistic establishment: Painters, Menders and Surveyors of the Pictures

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Originally published by University of London, London, 2006.

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'The artistic establishment: Painters, Menders and Surveyors of the Pictures', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) pp. 181-183. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp181-183 [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

Mender of Pictures 1662–?1685

1662 27 Nov. Geldrop, G.
1666 15 May Stone, S.
1672 1 Oct. Peart, H.
1682 9 Aug. Hobrafoth, A.

Surveyor of the Pictures 1676–1837

This officer was appointed by lord chamberlain's warrant. The earlier designations 'Purveyor and Keeper' and later 'Repairer' were only gradually superseded by that of 'Surveyor' of the pictures. (fn. 1) The salary, originally £100, had been raised to £200 by 1694. (fn. 2)

1676 15 Dec. Uylenburgh, G.
1679 29 Apr. Walton, P.
1701 1 Mar. Walton, P.
1745 24 June Slaughter, S.
1765 21 May Knapton, G.
1779 Dalton, R.
1792 West, B.
1820 10 Mar. Seguier, W.

Keeper of the Pictures, Drawings, Rarities and Antiquities 1691–?

1691 13 May Sonnius, F.

Principal Painter 1660–1837

Appointments to this office were, as a general rule, made by lord chamberlain's warrant. In 1660 Lely was appointed 'Limner and Picture Drawer', being succeeded in 1681 by Riley as 'Painter and Picture Drawer'. (fn. 3) In 1684 Verrio, appointed exceptionally by royal warrant, was designated 'Chief First Painter'. (fn. 4) From 1689 'Principal Painter' was the recognized description of the office. (fn. 5) The salary, originally £200, was reduced to £50 in 1782. (fn. 6) In addition, this officer received a gold chain and medal. (fn. 7)

1660 20 June Lely, P.
1681 23 Apr. Riley, J.
1684 30 June Verrio, A.
1689 24 July Kneller, G. (joint)
1689 24 July Riley, J. (joint)
1691 30 Mar. Kneller, G.
1723 3 Dec. Jervas, C.
1740 8 May Kent, W.
1749 7 Mar. Shackleton, J.
1767 9 Apr. Ramsay, A.
1784 1 Sept. Reynolds, Sir J.
1792 May Lawrence, T.
1830 8 Jan. Wilkie, D.

Painter in Extraordinary 1664–?

1664 24 Dec. Harthoner, P.

Picture Drawer in Ordinary [?w/o fee] 1673–?

1673 22 Jan. Wright, M.

Picture Drawer in Miniature 1676–

1677 24 Jan. D'avaux, P.

Limner in Ordinary w/fee 1678-

1678 23 July Crosse, P.

Picture Maker ?1660–1685

The picture maker was appointed by the lord chamberlain and made £200 per annum under Charles II. (fn. 8)

By 1672 Cooper, S.
1672 20 May Gibson, R.
1673 9 Aug. Dixon, N.

Footnotes

  • 1. LC 3/24, f. 21. For an account of this office, see O. Millar, 'Caring for the Queen's Pictures: Surveyors Past and Present', in C. Lloyd, The Queen's Pictures (1991), pp. 14–27.
  • 2. CSPD 1678, pp. 119–20;CTB X, 1157.
  • 3. LC 3/24, f. 21. For this office, see E. Waterhouse, Painting in Britain 1530–1790 (5th edn., 1994), pp. 92, 126, 138.
  • 4. Stowe MS 196, f. 207. For his appointment, see Colvin V, 28–9.
  • 5. LC 3/32, p. 98.
  • 6. LC 3/24, f. 21; CSPD 1661–2, p. 129; LC 5/204, p. 222.
  • 7. Bucholz, p. 317 n. 94.
  • 8. LC 3/24, f. 26.