Mr. Pope

by William Hoare
ca. 1739–43

National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG 873)

This image was published in The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. Vol. I (1797), edited by Joseph Warton. Warton's description reads: "This is the only Portrait that was ever drawn of Mr. Pope at full length.—It was done without his knowledge, as he was deeply engaged in conversation with Mr. Allen in the Gallery at Prior Park, by Mr. Hoare, who sat at the other end of the Gallery.— Pope would never have forgiven the Painter had he known it.—He was too sensible of the Deformity of his Person to allow the whole of it to be represented.—The Drawing is therefore exceedingly valuable, as it is a Unique of this celebrated Poet" (vi).