Figure 1.--This beautiful Stephen Poyntz Denning (1795-1864) miniature is Master James Hannen (later Sir James Hannen) a noted jurist (1821-1894) at about 12 years old. It show cases Dennings abilities. James is seated in a red chair, wearing a brown vested suit, white shirt, extended collar, and and black stock (more like bow). It was a watercolor, masterfully painted on ivory and exhibited at the Royal Accdemy (1833). There is a rectangular ormolu giilded frame with inner gilded slip oval, 5.4 in (136mm).

We have been unable to find much information on English artist Stephen Poyntz Denning (1795-1864). The Poyntz part of his name does not sound very English, but we notice individuals of importance back to the Tudor era. We know nothing about his childhood. He studied drawing and painting under John Masey Wright, working from Wright's workshop as a young adult before exhibiting oil and watercolor miniature portraits at the Royal Academy (1814-52). Denning was was primarily a portraitist. He also did a small number of oil genre scenes while at the British Institution (1844). The British Institution competed with the Royal Academy. The full name was the British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom, founded (1805). It was a private 19th-century art society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists. (It was also known as the Pall Mall Picture Galleries or the British Gallery.) Some of Dennings's painting are mediocre. We note a painting of two unidentified chldren, certainly siblings, attributed to Denning. The boy wears an orange tunic suit with matching pants, probably painted (about 1820). It is useful for our study of fashion, but is a very basic work, probably painted early in his career. The girl wears a white dress, but not an Empire style. There are Denning paintings, however, that showcase real, raw talent A good example is a miniature of Master James Hannen (later Sir James Hannen) a noted jurist (1821-94), painted (about 1832) (figure 1). We also notice Dennings portrait of the Bicknell children (1842). His watercolor portrait depicts the six children of Elhanan Bicknell Esq, a successful businessman and noted art patron. The children are shown seated and standing in a group, some playing with flowers. It isa helpful image showng how childen of different ages were dressed. Denning was also a gallery curator. He became curator of the Dulwich Picture Gallery (1821). He died at Dulwich after an extended illness (1864).

Created: 6:18 PM 12/12/2025
Last updated: 9:46 PM 12/12/2025