Object Image

Noel Joseph Desenfans

Noel Desenfans (1744-1807) was born in Douai and educated at the universities of Douai and Paris. He came to London in 1769 as a language teacher and married Margaret Morris, the aunt of two of his pupils, in 1776 (see After Reynolds DPG627). Active as a picture dealer from the 1770s, in 1790-5 he was engaged in assembling a collection of old master paintings for the King of Poland. However, because of the King's enforced abdication in 1795, this was never delivered. After failing to persuade the Government to establish a British National Gallery, and finding himself unable to dispose of his collection on satisfactory terms, Desenfans bequeathed the pictures to his friend Sir Francis Bourgeois,...
1796
Oil on canvas
73.3 x 60.9cm
DPG028
Image and text © Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2019

Where you'll find this

Dulwich Picture Gallery
Permanent collection