John Russell R.A., British 1745-1806

Sir Edwin Durning Lawrence;
LG Duke (D2112)

John Johnson (1732-1814) was born in Leicester, the son of a joiner and appears to have trained as a carpenter. He was in London by 1759 and by the late 1760's was established in Berners Street.  In 1782, he was appointed Surveyor to the County of Essex, a post which he held for thirty years. In this capacity he designed his most important work, the Shire Hall at Chelmsford (1789-1791). He also designed more than twenty country houses, mainly in Essex and the Midlands, as well as working on London houses for Sir Charles Bampfylde, the 7th Earl of Galloway, the Hon.Charles Greville, and Sir Hugh Palliser among others. In 1785, he established a bank in Bond Street in partnership with Sir Herbert Mackworth and for a while he prospered financially. However, in 1803 the bank was closed and Johnson ended his life as a pauper in his home town of Leicester. For more information about his working life see Howard Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 1978, pp.462-4.

In 1894, two portraits of Johnstone by Russell were recorded, one in the possession of John Harley of Peterborough and the other belonging to Miss Horobin of Leicester.  There is also mention of a third portrait of John Johnson which may be the present work (see George C.Williamson, John Russell, 1894, p.146)

Another portrait of John Johnson by Russell was sold in these Rooms on 21st March 2002 lot 103 for £6,500