On view
European Art
Portrait of Old John, Head Waiter at the King's Head Inn in Derby,
ca. 1780
Joseph Wright of Derby, 1734–1797; born and died Derby, United Kingdom
2018-158
Wright portrayed Old John, head waiter at the main coaching inn of Derby, England, with a kind and intelligent expression. Rather than include any signs of his trade, the artist depicted his subject in a simple coat with a boutonniere. This is a rare example of a servant portrait made for the sitter’s benefit: the painting was raffled, and the proceeds provided a pension for Old John in recognition of his forty-three years of service.
More About This Object
Information
Title
Portrait of Old John, Head Waiter at the King's Head Inn in Derby
Dates
ca. 1780
Maker
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
77 × 64.2 cm (30 5/16 × 25 1/4 in.)
frame: 89.9 × 77.2 × 5.7 cm (35 3/8 × 30 3/8 × 2 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Surdna Fund
Object Number
2018-158
Culture
Type
Techniques
Raffled at Derby Town Hall; acquired at raffle by Daniel Parker Coke MP (1745-1825); Joseph Strutt (1765-1844), by 1835; Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper (1801-1880), Kingston Hall, Northamptonshire, by descent; The Hon. Henry Strutt, 2nd Baron Belper (1840-1914), Kingston Hall, Northamptonshire; Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper (1883-1956), Kingston Hall, Northamptonshire; The Hon Peter Algernon Strutt (1924-2007), Kingston Hall, Northamptonshire; Strutt Sale, Sotheby’s, London, 19 November, 1986, lot 54; Zankel-West Collection, New York; Christie’s, London, December 7, 2017, lot 35; Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker, London; 2018 purchase by Princeton University Art Museum
