John Chapman

John Chapman was an artist active over a substantial career spanning the years 1743 to 1823. His documented artistic output consists primarily of prints, though museum records also identify one bound volume and one other miscellaneous work attributed to him.

Chapman specialized in historical subjects and portraiture, reflecting the aesthetic interests of the Georgian and Regency periods. His represented works demonstrate a focus on political and literary figures. Key compositions include the series Portraits of Kings and Queens of England, alongside specific historical subjects such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Francis Lord Bacon. His literary engravings include the representation of Rosalind, Celia & Touchstone, derived from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and contemporary political figures like the Earl of Moira.

The legacy of John Chapman is established through the international collections that house his artifacts. Six of his documented prints are held by major institutions, including the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Rijksmuseum. The presence of his output in these collections confirms the historical and museum-quality nature of his work. Today, many of these John Chapman prints are recognized as public domain resources, allowing widespread access to his historical representations as royalty-free downloadable artwork.