Location: National Portrait Gallery, London, Great Britain
Date: 1799
Media: Pastel
Dimensions: 24 x 18 inches
You can find more details over at the National Portrait Gallery here.
John Bannister (1760 – 1836) was born in Deptford. He first studied to be a painter at the Royal Academy, but quickly discovered acting, his father’s profession, was his calling.
He made his formal debut at the Haymarket Theatre in 1778 as Dick in Arthur Murphy’s The Apprentice. That same year, under the tutelage of David Garrick, he played Zaphna in Voltaire’s Mahomet at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
His prominence grew significantly following his 1779 performance as Don Whiskerando in The Critic, and he became widely celebrated for his portrayal of Joseph Surface in The School for Scandal.
On January 26, 1783, Bannister married Elizabeth Harper, an accomplished actor and singer. Concerned by the rise of rival performer John Philip Kemble, Elizabeth taught Bannister how to sing to diversify his talents and out-perform his competition. The couple had four daughters.
Bannister gained acclaim as a ‘low comedian’. Notable early appearances that made his name include the role of ‘Juan’ from The Doctor and the Apothecary at Drury Lane in 1787, and playing Sir David Dunder, the lead of Ways and Means.
He continued to act in Drury Lane productions. At the time, it was London’s premier theatre, and therefore, he became one of the capital’s most beloved actors. In 1802, Bannister took over the management of the theatre, whilst continuing to act on stage. He over-saw the fall-out, and continued management of the theatre’s stage troop following its infamous fire in February 1809.
He retired from managing the theatre in 1815. He never gave up his passion for painting, and remained in close circles with fellow artists, Thomas Gainsborough, George Morland, and Thomas Rowlandson.
