Alexander Pope
- Artist: Jonathan Richardson
- Date: circa 1737
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 24 1/8 in. x 18 in. (613 mm x 457 mm)
- Portrays: Alexander Pope
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is an oil on canvas portrait by Jonathan Richardson, circa 1737. Only Alexander Pope’s head occupies the frame: the poet, born 1688, had a short stature and was very conscious of his image. Notice the laurel wreath he wears—a classic sign of a great poet—and the subtle shading that gives his face depth. The painting sits in an ornate rococo frame with shell‑crested top, scrolls, and water‑rush motifs—originally likely intended for a pastel, now adding a flourish that echoes Pope’s own “bay wreath.” You’ll feel how Richardson captured both the poet’s solemnity and his modesty.
See it in person
Alexander Pope is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
