Capability Brown
(1716-1783), Landscape gardenerLancelot ('Capability') Brown
Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 4 portraits
'Capability' Brown was the most successful eighteenth-century landscape designer. He began working as a gardener in his native Northumberland and became William Kent's assistant at Stowe, Buckinghamshire before striking out on his own. From 1749 he worked independently, mainly as a landscape gardener. He worked for an impressive range of clients and told them that their estates had great 'capabilities'. He remoulded the parks around country houses with gentle slopes and serpentine lakes. His designs set a fashion for open, naturalistic landscapes, populated by grazing herds and punctuated by eye-catching buildings.
after Nathaniel Dance (later Sir Nathaniel Holland, Bt)
oil on canvas, based on a work from late 1770s
NPG 1490
by John Keyse Sherwin, after Nathaniel Dance (later Sir Nathaniel Holland, Bt)
line and stipple engraving, 1770-1790 (circa 1769)
NPG D16434
by John Keyse Sherwin, after Nathaniel Dance (later Sir Nathaniel Holland, Bt)
line and stipple engraving, 1770-1790 (circa 1769)
NPG D20332
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.