Artwork
Revd John Jones, Talysarn 1796-1857
Revd John Jones, Talysarn 1796-1857 is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist William Williams. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Overview
William Williams’ oil portrait, completed in 1870, presents the Welsh clergyman John Jones of Talysarn (1796–1857). The work is part of the National Library of Wales collection and exemplifies the mid‑nineteenth‑century tradition of formal ministerial portraiture, capturing the subject in a dignified pose with a restrained yet expressive demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Reverend John Jones, is shown wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt, his right hand resting lightly on a surface. His expression combines seriousness with a faint smile, suggesting both the gravitas of his clerical role and a personal warmth that may reflect his reputation as a beloved preacher in Welsh religious life.
Technique & Style
Williams employs a limited palette of deep tones contrasted with the bright white of the shirt and a muted red curtain, creating a sense of depth behind the figure. The brushwork balances smooth modeling of the face with more textured handling of the fabrics, a common approach in Victorian portraiture that emphasizes both realism and a subtle sense of presence.
History & Provenance
Painted three years after Jones’s death, the portrait entered the holdings of the National Library of Wales, where it remains accessible to scholars and the public. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s effort to preserve visual records of notable Welsh religious figures from the 19th century.
Context
The portrait aligns with a broader Victorian practice of commemorating clergy through formal oil paintings, often displayed in churches or local institutions. Williams, known for his depictions of Welsh personalities, applied the conventions of the era—formal attire, dark background, and restrained lighting—to convey the subject’s status and moral character.
Artist & collection
Artist
British portrait painter who worked in oil during the late 1700s. His canvases usually show a single sitter in quiet poses, often dressed in dark coats and white collars. In our gallery you’ll find his Portrait of a…
Portrait of a Boy, Probably of the Crossfield Family
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John Roberts (1804–1884), Brother of Samuel Roberts of Llanbrynmair
Tri chedyrn Cymru
Reverend E. Herbert Evans of Carnarvon (1836–1896)
Reverend J. G. Morris of Newport, Pembrokeshire (1833–1919)
John Jones of Talysarn 1796-1857
Parch. John Jones, Talysarn
Rev. John Davies
Reverend John Jones, Talysarn, Carnarvon
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Mr John Jones, L'pool. printer, preacher
Revd.John Hughes, 1787-1860
Rev. John Roberts
Rev. John Evans, Llwynfortun
Revd Owen Jones, Llanfair Caereinion
Arthur Jones, Congregationalist minister, Bangor 1776-1860