Westall, Richard (1765-1836; English)
Untitled sepia sketch, c. 20 x 15 cm
Presented by J.W.Meadon, 1873
Unidentified; present location unknown
Westall, a prolific painter and illustrator, was widely admired in his day, especially by Byron, whose portrait he painted several times.
The NGV collection includes several of his other sketches, acquired later (example reproduced below), as well as works by his younger brother William (1781-1850), a landscapist.
However, the present sketch no longer appears to be in the collection.
[comparative photo: Study of three male heads (NGV, Felton Bequest 1923)]
Refs.
AR 1873, p.69 (1873 donations; size given as 8 x 9 inches); not listed in NGV 1894 or 1905
For the artist, see Bénézit 14, pp.821-22; see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Westall. For his works in the NGV, including the example reproduced here (pen and ink and brown wash, measuring 10.7 x 7.9 cm), see http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/artist/5453/; and for works by William Westall, see http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/artist/4377/