# Richard Cosway artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/richard-cosway/
Profile generated: 2026-05-08T09:50:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1742-11-05
- Death date: 1821-07-04
- Nationality: English, British
- Movements: Georgian era portrait painting, Regency era
- Common media: Watercolour miniature on ivory, Oil painting, Drawing, Prints

## About Richard Cosway

Richard Cosway (1742–1821) was one of the foremost English portrait miniature painters of the Georgian and Regency periods. Born in Tiverton, Devon, he trained in London and rose to become the most fashionable miniaturist of his generation, appointed Painter to the Prince of Wales (later George IV) in 1785. Working primarily in watercolour on ivory, Cosway produced intimately scaled portraits of aristocrats, royalty, and prominent literary and political figures. His work is characterised by delicate brushwork, expressive features, and a refined sense of composition within a very small format. He counted John Smart, George Engleheart, and Richard Crosse among his principal rivals. Cosway was also a noted art dealer and collector of prints and drawings, and he moved in intellectual circles that included William Blake and the Chevalier d'Éon. His wife, Maria Cosway, was an accomplished painter in her own right and a close associate of Thomas Jefferson. Major public collections holding his work include Tate and the Royal Collection.

## Common works and media

Cosway is best known for portrait miniatures painted in watercolour on ivory, typically oval in format and measuring just a few inches in height. These were often set into gold lockets, bracelets, or brooches as personal keepsakes. He also produced preparatory drawings in graphite and chalk, oil portraits on a larger scale, and a small number of subject paintings. Engravings and mezzotints reproducing his portrait compositions circulated widely in the late eighteenth century and appear on the market as separate collectible works. collectors may also encounter works attributed to his studio or circle.

## Market and appraisal context

Richard Cosway's portrait miniatures appear regularly at auction, with over 560 recorded lots. Values are influenced by the sitter's identity, the quality and condition of the ivory support, whether the original frame or locket case survives, and the strength of attribution. Royal or aristocratic sitters command significant premiums. Collectors should be aware that Cosway's popularity led to numerous copies and works by followers; specialist connoisseurship is important for confirming attribution. Preparatory drawings, finished miniatures, and engravings after his compositions represent distinct market segments with different price ranges. Provenance linking a work to a notable historical collection can substantially increase value.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine verified artist identity research from museum, library, and authority sources with public auction records, sale dates, realised prices, and comparable lot data when those records are available. The information on this page draws on institution-grade references including Tate, the Getty Union List of Artist Names, the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), VIAF, and the Library of Congress.

## Sources

- Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD): https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/18641
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/richard-cosway-2315
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500115280
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/40191108/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93108180
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539929
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cosway