Serious English faces - portraits by John Greenhill

Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, circa mid-1670s. (Detail.)

John Greenhill (circa 1644, Salisbury – 19 May 1676, London), English portrait painter. Interested in art from an early age, in about 1662 he moved to London in order to study. He became a pupil of Sir Peter Lely, and also carefully studied and copied the late van Dyck's portraits; it is said that his rapidly progressing skill aroused Lely's jealousy. He married early and was at first industrious and increasingly successful. But he had a pronounced taste for the theater and, living in Covent Garden, he began to associate with free-living theatrical types, and fell into "irregular habits". In May of 1676, while returning from a tavern in a drunken state, he fell into the gutter. Carried to his lodgings, he died the same night. He left a widow and family, to whom Lely gave an annuity. There's disagreement as to the date of his birth, but he was probably about thirty-two.

The artist, circa 1665.

Portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as Lucy Sherman, no date.

Thomas Weedon, circa 1675.

Sir Anthony Deane, no date.

Lady Twisden, 1676.

William Cartwright, circa mid-1660s.

 Sir Matthew Dudley, Bt (attributed to Greenhill), no date.

Portrait of a Lady as a Shepherdess, circa 1665.

James, Duke of York, later James II, early 1660s. (This portrait definitely appears to be unfinished.)

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, circa 1672-73.

Mrs. Jane Cartwright, circa mid-1660s.

John Locke, circa 1672-76.