Black John of Tetcott

Image credit: Royal Institution of Cornwall

How you can use this image

 

This image is available to be shared and re-used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial licence (CC BY-NC).

This image can be reproduced in any way apart from any commercial uses.

Wherever you reproduce the image or an altered version of it, you must attribute the original creators (acknowledge the original artist(s), the person/organisation that took the photograph of the work) and any other stated rights holders.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find more images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Download

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

Black John was a dwarf and hunchback under four foot in height whose many party tricks in his role as jester included swallowing and retrieving strings of live mice and mumbling sparrows - removing their feathers with his teeth while the sparrow was in his mouth. James Northcote was born in Plymouth, the son of a watchmaker and optician. He was apprenticed to his father's trade but showed a talent for art. He moved to London in 1771, entering the Royal Academy Schools and from 1771 to 1775/1776 was the pupil and assistant of Reynolds. He practised portraiture in Plymouth until 1777 when he had sufficient money to visit Italy. He settled in London in 1781.

Royal Cornwall Museum

Truro

Title

Black John of Tetcott

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 107 x W 67 cm

Accession number

TRURI : 1946.95

Acquisition method

gift, 1946

Work type

Painting

Royal Cornwall Museum

River Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 2SJ England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue