Karl Friedrich Abel
(1723-1787), Composer and concert impresarioMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 5 portraits
One of the last of the great viola da gamba virtuosi, the German musician Abel arrived in London in 1759. He became famous for the subscription concerts at the Hanover Square rooms which he organised with Johann Christian Bach.
by Thomas Gainsborough
black and white chalk with stump on blue paper, circa 1765
NPG 5081
by John Nixon
pen and ink and wash, 1787
NPG 5178
by William Nelson Gardiner, published by Edward Harding, after John Nixon
etching, published July 1787 (1787)
NPG D966
by William Nelson Gardiner, published by Edward Harding, after John Nixon
etching, published July 1787 (1787)
NPG D14733
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.