Anthony Leigh
- Artist: Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
- Artist: John Smith
- Date: 1689
- Medium: mezzotint
- Dimensions: Long Term Loan
- Portrays: Anthony Leigh
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This mezzotint, produced in 1689, brings us face‑to‑face with Anthony Leigh. In the image he looks straight on, his shoulders relaxed and his hair tied back—a typical English portrait of a comic actor of that era. The engraving shows subtle tonal gradations: deep blacks around the eyes and mouth give a three‑dimensional quality while lighter highlights on his jacket bring out fabric texture.
The work was after Sir Godfrey Kneller’s painted likeness, so it copies his careful study of detail. John Smith engraved the plate, which was later published. Kneller—active in the 1680s—often rendered actors for playhouses and theatres; Leigh appears in nine portraits in total. He died only a few years after this print, in 1692, so we are looking at one of his last representations.
You can see here how mezzotint lets an engraver capture likeness with rich value changes. The National Portrait Gallery displays it as part of their portrait collection, offering a glimpse into late‑Seventeenth‑century London theatre culture.
See it in person
Anthony Leigh is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
