Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Samuel Drummond died in 1844; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1914.
In context
John Gully — Samuel Drummond
The original measures 43 × 35 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 78 at death.
Painted when the artist was 42. The artist lived to 78. 8 of the 30 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Samuel Drummond (1766–1844) ▲ this work, 1808 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1806 Main working years: 1806–1825 Late works: from 1825
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/samuel-drummond-john-gully-AQSDS3-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Walnut #685034
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 40 works by this artist, of which 12 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 4 of them, with 10.0% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Before he ever held a brush in a London studio, Samuel Drummond knew the rhythm of the Baltic trade routes. At thirteen, his world was defined by the salt and wood of ships, spending six or seven years in the sea service. This early time on the water left its mark on his later work, where the movement of waves and the weight of naval history became central themes. After leaving the navy, he worked briefly as a clerk, but the pull of the Royal Academy Schools in 1791 eventually led him away from ledgers and back to the visual arts.
His training began with crayons and oil, a path that saw him exhibit over three hundred works at the Royal Academy. He moved through the ranks of the artistic community, becoming an associate of both the Royal Academy and the British Institution by 1808. His hands were accustomed to the precision required for portraits, yet he found a particular gravity in larger oil paintings that documented the maritime history of the United Kingdom.
Drummond had a way of rendering a likeness with speed, a quality that brought him frequent commissions. He sat many notable figures before him, capturing the presence of people such as Walter Scott, Elizabeth Fry, and Marc Isambard Brunel. His work for The European Magazine under James Asperne allowed him to document the leading personalities of the day, including Sir John Soane and Friedrich Accum. In these portraits, one can see a focus on the textures of clothing—the crispness of a white collar or the heavy drape of a coat—and the steady gaze of the sitter.
Beyond the individual portrait, his attention turned to the sea. He used oil on canvas to capture the chaos and weight of naval conflict. His paintings often focused on specific historical moments, such as:
The Battle of the Nile, 1st August 1798
Captain William Rogers Capturing the Jeune Richard, 1 October 1807
Admiral Duncan at the Battle of Camperdown, 11 October 1797
The Death of Nelson
In these maritime scenes, the brushwork carries the energy of a naval clash. He documented the death of Admiral Horatio Nelson through several works, including a scene on the deck of HMS Victory, where the focus remains on the gathered crowd and the heavy atmosphere of the moment.
The practice of painting was a shared language within his household. Drummond’s life was marked by three marriages, and the creative impulse seemed to pass directly to his children. His daughters, including Rose Emma, Ellen, Eliza Ann, Jane, Rose Hudson, and Rosa Myra, all became artists themselves. Rose Emma, in particular, found her own way as a portrait miniaturist, known for her depictions of theatre actresses.
Despite the professional success of his children and his own standing within the Royal Academy, the later years brought financial difficulties. He often relied on support from the funds of the Royal Academy to sustain his craft until his death in London in 1844. His legacy remains held in collections such as the National Portrait Gallery, the National Maritime Museum, and the Walker Art Gallery.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/samuel-drummond-john-gully-AQSDS3-en/
Look closely
John Gully — Samuel Drummond
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
The color harmony of "John Gully" is recorded as unified palette.
"John Gully" by Samuel Drummond can be previewed on your own wall with the artwork's AR Preview page, using augmented reality on a compatible device.
Artworks similar to "John Gully" by Samuel Drummond are gathered on the artwork's Similars page.