| Portrait of William Linley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Thomas Lawrence |
| Year | 1788 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait |
| Dimensions | 76.2 cm× 63.5 cm(30.0 in× 25.0 in) |
| Location | Dulwich Picture Gallery, London |
Portrait of William Linley is an oil on canvas portrait painting by the British artist Thomas Lawrence, from 1788. It depicts William Linley. [1]
Lawrence was a young Bath-based society portraitist, just as his career was about to take off. [2] The Linley Family of Bath were well-known musical performers, connected with the theatre. Lawrence was a friend of William Linley who was a year younger than him. The painting may have served as an audition for his bid for a royal commission. [3] George III reputedly joked that Linley needed a haircut. [4] Nonetheless, Lawrence was soon afterwards commissioned to paint the King's wife Queen Charlotte. That painting's success at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition led to Lawrence's establishment as a leading society portraitist. Today it is part of the collection at Dulwich Art Gallery in South London. [5] It was given as part of a bequest by the painting's subject along with other works featuring his family. [6]
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