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James Boswell

Image credit: National Portrait Gallery, London

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Born in Edinburgh in 1740. He was the son of the Laird of Auchinleck, a title he later inherited. In 1762, having qualified as a lawyer, he travelled to London hoping to rub shoulders with 'men of genius' and in particular his literary hero, Samuel Johnson. He realised this ambition the following year when he met Johnson in a Covent Garden bookshop. The two men became close and remained friends until Johnson's death. Boswell is chiefly remembered for his acclaimed Life of Samuel Johnson published in 1791. The use of colloquial language, conversation and short sentences, considered at the time to be characteristic of 'low' forms of literature, helped to bring Johnson's character to life.

National Portrait Gallery, London

London

Title

James Boswell

Date

1785

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 76.2 x W 63.5 cm

Accession number

4452

Acquisition method

Purchased with help from the Art Fund, the Johnson Club and HM Government, 1965

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

National Portrait Gallery, London

St Martin’s Place, London, Greater London WC2H 0HE England

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