David Garrick; Eva Maria Garrick (née Veigel)
- Artist: Sir Joshua Reynolds
- Date: 1772-1773
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 55 1/4 in. x 66 7/8 in. (1403 mm x 1699 mm)
- Portrays: David Garrick, Eva Maria Garrick (née Veigel)
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
In this oil on canvas by Sir Joshua Reynolds from 1772–73 you see David and Eva Garrick in a relaxed garden at Hampton. The frame is a classic Maratta, the original used when it opened at the Royal Academy in 1773.
David holds an open book – likely one of his plays – and leans back as if he’s reading lines to his wife. His easy pose reflects his appetite for applause and shows him as a stage actor, playwright and manager.
Eva stands beside him, dressed in white lace and satin. Her gown is the stylish, fashionable look of an 18th‑century London woman who had retired from dancing after marrying David. She smiles gently, watching her husband’s reading.
The scene feels intimate; you can almost hear their garden’s light breeze. Reynolds captured the couple as a celebrated pair: the most famous actor of the day and his charming wife who hosted parties for high society. The canvas size—55 in by 66 in—lets you see their full-length portraits in detail, from the soft brushwork on their faces to the texture of Eva’s lace.”
See it in person
David Garrick; Eva Maria Garrick (née Veigel) is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
