Jean Misaubin and his family. Gouache painting by Joseph Goupy, 172-.

  • Goupy, Joseph, 1689-1769.
Date:
[between 1720 and 1729]
Reference:
47338i
  • Pictures

Selected images from this work

View 2 images

About this work

Description

The description of this picture by J. T. Smith, loc. cit., identifies the figures. Dr Jean (John) Misaubin sits centre, holding a quill-pen in right hand. With his left hand he receives a letter from, or gives it to, his wife (presumably) Marthe (Martha) right. To right a small child, their son Edmund. Background left, a library with a man in clerical dress holding a book: the cleric is Misaubin's father Jacques (James), a preacher at the French church in Spitalfields

Publication/Creation

[between 1720 and 1729]

Physical description

1 painting : gouache on vellum ; vellum 18.6 x 15.2 cm

Lettering

Jos. Goupy fe Manuscript inscription on back of mount: 'Painted in body colour on leather by Goupe. Wonderfully clever portraits of Dr Mizaubin, wife, son, and grandfather. The latter [sic?] is the Doctor introduced by Hogarth in his Marriage a la Mode. Dr M. used to remark "By Sar [?] me bleive my pation take me for the Undertaker, for dey never send for me till de Physician have kill dem."'

References note

J.T. Smith, Nollekens and his times, ed. W. Whitten, London: John Lane, 1920, vol.2, p.164 ("Of Dr. Misaubin ... there is a beautifully finished miniature of Dr J. Misaubin in the collection of George Musgrave ... The family picture of Dr Misaubin contains the portraits of his father, wife and son. The latter was murdered when returning from Marylebone-gardens, aged twenty-three years. This picture was bought of his grandson, Mr Angiband [i.e. Angibaud], of St Martin's-Lane, in the year 1799. ... Dr Misaubin's father was a clergyman, and preached at the Spitalfields French Church; he was rather a celebrated preacher ... The picture alluded to is about seven inches by six, painted in bodycolour by Joseph Goupy ...")
Bruce Robertson, 'Joseph Goupy and the art of the copy', The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, December 1988, 75: 355-382, pp. 380-381, no. 56
Barry Hoffbrand, 'John Misaubin, Hogarth's quack : a case for rehabilitation', Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 2001, 94: 143-147
Norman Moore, 'Misaubin, John (1673-1734)', rev. Michael Bevan, Oxford dictionary of national biography, Oxford 2004, vol. 38, pp. 373-374 (reproduced)
Barry Hoffbrand, 'Hogarth's quack physician and his apothecary in-laws: the French connection', Apothecary, 2005, pp. 37-38
Barry Hoffbrand, 'Dr Misaubin--Hogarth's "quack"--and a much maligned mason', Ars quatuor coronati, 2005, 118: 154-171

Reference

Wellcome Collection 47338i

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

    Note

Permanent link