Isabella Flores
The Bermuda Group is a portrait by John Smibert commemorating an ambitious venture to found a seminary in Bermuda. The painting was commissioned by John Wainright, who is seated in the portrait, and it depicts the expeditionary party, which included two wealthy supporters and members of the philosopher and Anglican cleric George Berkeley's family. Smibert accompanied Berkeley as his tutor of the arts and was supposed to lecture on painting and architecture at the new college.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | John Smibert |
| Date | 1728, reworked in 1739 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 176.5 x 236.2 cm |
| Location | Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven |
| Subjects | George Berkeley, John Wainright, Anne Forster, Miss Handcock, John James, Richard Dalton, Henry Berkeley |
| Style | Cosmopolitan |
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What You'll Learn
The Bermuda Group painting is a group portrait
The Bermuda Group portrait is a large painting, measuring nearly 6 x 8 feet, and contains eight nearly full-sized figures, a unique feature for colonial Boston. The figures stand in front of a colonnade and an Arcadian landscape, which would have been unseen in the Boston area at the time. The painting was likely started during Smibert's early time in Massachusetts, and it remained in Boston throughout his career, showcasing his skill and ability as a portraitist.
John Smibert was a London portraitist who, in 1724, was invited by George Berkeley to join him in his venture to start a college in Bermuda. Smibert agreed and was tasked with lecturing on painting and architecture. He accompanied Berkeley and his entourage on their journey, and the group arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, in January 1729, awaiting funding to continue to Bermuda. However, the seminary project ultimately failed due to a lack of funds, and Smibert settled in Boston, where he established his reputation as a talented portraitist.
The Bermuda Group painting is a significant work in the history of American art. It not only commemorates the ambitious venture of founding a seminary in Bermuda but also showcases the artistic talent of John Smibert, who brought a cosmopolitan style to colonial portraiture. The painting's large scale and unique composition make it a notable example of early American portraiture, and it has been exhibited at the Yale University Art Gallery, providing insight into the artistic and cultural endeavours of the time.
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It was painted by John Smibert
The Bermuda Group is a portrait painted by John Smibert, a Scottish-born painter and the first academically trained artist to work in British America. Smibert was born in Edinburgh, the second youngest of six children, and was apprenticed to a house painter and plasterer in the city from 1702 to 1709. He moved to London in 1709 and worked as a coach painter and copyist before studying under Godfrey Kneller at the Great Queen Street Academy from 1713 to 1716. After his studies, Smibert returned to Edinburgh and sought work as a portraitist.
Between 1719 and 1722, Smibert travelled to Italy to copy old masters, including some in the collection of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He then settled in London, where he worked as a portrait painter until 1728. During this time, he became a member of the Rose and Crown Club and made a sketch for a group portrait of its members, including George Vertue, John Wootton, and Thomas Gibson.
In 1726, Smibert met Bishop Berkeley in London and was commissioned to paint his portrait. Berkeley convinced Smibert to join him on an enterprise to start a college in Bermuda, where Smibert would lecture on painting and architecture. The group, which included Berkeley's wife Anne Foster and her companion, Miss Handcock, departed for Newport, Rhode Island, in September 1728 and stayed there awaiting funding for the move to Bermuda.
The Bermuda Group portrait, measuring nearly 6 x 8 feet, depicts eight nearly full-sized figures, including Berkeley, his wife, and their infant son Henry. The figures stand in front of a colonnade and an Arcadian landscape, with gestures and glances that lead the viewer's eye across the composition. Smibert's painting style reveals his academic training and his time in Italy, with a focus on full-sized figures and the use of light and colour to create a radiant effect.
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The painting was commissioned by John Wainright
The painting "The Bermuda Group", also known as "Dean George Berkeley and His Entourage", is one of the most influential New England portraits. It was commissioned by John Wainright, a patron of George Berkeley, and it depicts the members of the planned expedition to Bermuda.
John Wainright is seated on the left side of the painting. The artwork was created by John Smibert, a Scottish-born painter and the first academically trained artist to work in British America. Smibert travelled to Italy from 1719 to 1722 to copy old masters and then settled in London, where he worked as a portrait painter. In 1726, he met George Berkeley, who commissioned a portrait and convinced Smibert to join his expedition to Bermuda.
The Bermuda Group painting includes eight nearly full-sized figures, something unseen in colonial Boston at the time. Six of these figures are those who landed in Newport, and the remaining two are John Wainright and the infant Henry Berkeley. The painting is a group portrait that captures the planned expedition to Bermuda, including Wainright, who was a patron of George Berkeley.
Smibert's time in Italy studying old masters influenced his work, and this is reflected in "The Bermuda Group". The painting measures nearly 6 x 8 feet and is a masterpiece of its time. The gestures and glances of the characters lead the viewer's eye across the composition, creating a stage-like effect. Smibert's talent and reputation as an artist extended beyond his own circle, and he is known for his contributions to the history of art.
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It depicts Dean George Berkeley and his entourage
The Bermuda Group painting is a group portrait that includes Dean George Berkeley, the Anglican cleric and philosopher, and his entourage. The portrait was commissioned by Berkeley's patron, John Wainright (seated), who is also depicted in the painting.
George Berkeley is shown standing at the far right of the painting, and his new wife, Anne Forster, is also included in the group. The other members of the party are described as "Men of Fortune" and "gentlemen of substance". They include John James and Richard Dalton, who were likely to be teachers at the college, and Anne Forster's travelling companion, Miss Handcock.
The portrait was created by the artist John Smibert, who had been hired by Berkeley to teach at the new college in Bermuda. Smibert was a London portraitist who, hoping to find greater success, took the opportunity to join Berkeley's venture. He was to lecture on painting and architecture, which were uncommon subjects in eighteenth-century college curricula.
The Bermuda Group portrait was likely started during Smibert's early time in Massachusetts. Although it was supposed to return to England, it remained in Boston throughout his career and became his most famous painting. It is considered an example of his skill and ability as a portraitist.
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It is Smibert's most ambitious work
The Bermuda Group, painted by John Smibert, is considered his most ambitious work. The painting, which is also known as "Dean Berkeley and His Entourage", was completed in 1728 and reworked in 1739. It is a group portrait commemorating an ambitious venture to found a seminary in Bermuda. The philosopher and Anglican cleric George Berkeley, frustrated with what he saw as a corrupt European civilization, believed that only in the New World would a religious and cultural rebirth be possible.
Smibert was hired by Berkeley to teach at the new college, and he was also commissioned to create a portrait of the expeditionary party, which included two additional wealthy supporters and members of Berkeley's family. The painting is significant not only because of its large scale and subject matter but also because it marked the beginning of Smibert's career as America's first professional painter.
Smibert's journey to becoming a painter began with an apprenticeship with a house painter and plasterer, Walter Melville, in 1702. After completing his apprenticeship in 1709, he moved to London, a city teeming with talented portraitists. Despite being a moderately talented painter, Smibert sought a change and took a leap of faith by moving to the Americas. This decision was influenced by George Berkeley, whom he met in London in 1726.
The Bermuda Group painting remained in Smibert's studio until 1808, and it is now part of the collection at the Yale University Art Gallery. The painting measures 176.5 x 236.2 cm and is an oil painting on canvas. Smibert's influence extended far beyond his own lifetime, and he is considered one of the most important painters of the colonial period in America.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bermuda Group is a portrait painting by John Smibert. It was commissioned by philosopher and Anglican cleric George Berkeley, who is featured in the painting, along with his patron, John Wainright, and six other figures.
John Smibert was a portraitist who travelled with George Berkeley to Bermuda, where he was to teach at a college that Berkeley was founding. Smibert is considered America's first professional painter.
The Bermuda Group painting commemorated an ambitious venture to found a seminary in Bermuda. George Berkeley, frustrated with European corruption, believed that only in the New World would a religious and cultural rebirth be possible.
