Portrait of a young artist, ca.1765

Attributed to John Hamilton Mortimer ARA (1740 - 1779)

RA Collection: Art

This portrait is something of a mystery. It belonged in the 1840s to the antiquarian John Britton, who was convinced that it was the work of the landscape painter Richard Wilson and depicted John Hamilton Mortimer. Although the landscape is painted in the style of Wilson the work is now thought to be more probably by Mortimer, and quite possibly a self-portrait as there are physical and compositional similarities with other known self-portraits by this artist.

This work skilfully combines the figure and landscape with a sense of history. Tendrils of ivy and clumps of grass partially obscure the classical reliefs and fallen column so that they have become part of the landscape.