Richard Samuel

[6] In 1777, Samuel produced a print showing the portraits of nine of the leading "blue stocking" women of his time shown as the nine Muses of the classical world.

Angelica Kauffman was the only founding female member of the Royal Academy; Elizabeth Griffith was a playwright; Charlotte Lennox was a writer whilst Catharine Macaulay was a historian.

[2] In 1778, Samuel painted the women on a speculative basis without taking sittings in an attempt to advance his career as a portrait and history painter.

The figures in the painting were so idealised, possibly because of the lack of sittings, that Elizabeth Carter complained that she couldn't identify herself or anyone else in the picture.

Samuels painting of the nine muses has been notably recreated by Derry Moore's 1996 photograph which is also in London's National Portrait Gallery.

Robert Pollard by Richard Samuel, 1784. National Portrait Gallery, London.
The 1777 print showing Britannia rather than Apollo.
Anna Letitia Barbauld - poet and writer Elizabeth Carter - translator Angelica Kauffman - artist Elizabeth Sheridan - singer Hannah More - writer Charlotte Lennox - writer Catharine Macaulay - historian Elizabeth Montagu - Leader of Blue Stocking Society Elizabeth Griffith - playwright and novelist Use your cursor to explore (or Click icon to enlarge)
Portraits in the Characters of the Muses in the Temple of Apollo by Richard Samuel , 1778, include Elizabeth Carter , Angelica Kauffman , Anna Laetitia Barbauld , Catharine Macaulay , Elizabeth Montagu , Elizabeth Griffith , Hannah More , Elizabeth Ann Sheridan and Charlotte Lennox . [ 1 ] Use a cursor to see who is who.