1
William Reader: The 2 Most Famous Paintings, Documented
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 2 works by William Reader in our catalogue
Summary
According to this ranking, John II Bankes, MP (1692-1772), as a boy (1702) is the most famous painting by William Reader; the Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster, holds it. This list draws on the 2 works by William Reader in the catalogue and records the 2 most famous, with date, holding museum and description for each entry.
Most works: Kingston Lacy
William Reader: top 10 entries of the list
William Reader: holding museums
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by William Reader | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Kingston Lacy |
Wimborne Minster | 2 | John II Bankes, MP (1692-1772), as a boy, John I Bankes, MP (1665-1714) |
William Reader: questions and documented answers
Which William Reader painting heads the list of most famous works?Display the answer
John II Bankes, MP (1692-1772), as a boy (1702).
How many works by William Reader are recorded?Display the answer
The catalogue records 2 works by William Reader.
In which collections are William Reader's most famous works held?Display the answer
Principally in Kingston Lacy (Wimborne Minster). The museum table above gives the full distribution.
Which works of William Reader are held by the Kingston Lacy?Display the answer
John II Bankes, MP (1692-1772), as a boy and John I Bankes, MP (1665-1714) are among the 2 works on this page in the collection of the Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster.
William Reader: life and work
The Shadow of the Master
Maidstone, United Kingdom, provides the setting for the beginning of a life defined by the brush and the patronage of the elite. Born the son of a clergyman, William Reader enters the world of art through the disciplined guidance of Gerard Soest. This apprenticeship shapes his hand, grounding his technique in the traditions of the era. He moves through the social strata of the late seventeenth century, finding himself under the protection of a wealthy nobleman in the west of England. This connection provides the stability necessary for a developing painter to find his footing in a competitive landscape.
The work of Reader often exists in the periphery of history. His name frequently appears in the margins of larger legacies, sometimes obscured by the signatures of more prominent contemporaries. He captures the likenesses of the era, most notably in his portrait of Dr. John Blow, a work that achieved further life through the mezzotint engravings of T. Beckett. While his name may be lost to some, his presence remains etched in the visual record of the period.
A Life of Contrasts
The trajectory of Reader's career reveals a stark shift from the comforts of patronage to the isolation of poverty. His active years span the late seventeenth century, a time of shifting artistic tastes and social upheaval. His output is characterized by the following elements:
- The influence of Gerard Soest's training on his portraiture style.
- A connection to the landed gentry through long-term patronage.
- The preservation of his likeness through the portrait of Dr. John Blow.
- The final, quiet years spent as a pensioner at the London Charterhouse.
The transition from a painter supported by nobility to a man facing the end of his life in diminished circumstances marks the final chapter of his story. He dies in London, leaving behind a body of work that serves as a window into the social fabric of his time.
The Legacy of the Portraitist
Today, the remnants of his hand are found in significant collections, such as those at Kingston Lacy and Wimborne Minster. These works, including portraits of figures like John Bankes, I, offer a glimpse into the technical skill he maintained throughout his life. His existence is a reminder of the precarious nature of the artistic life in the seventeenth century, where the distance between a nobleman's salon and the London Charterhouse was often a matter of fortune and fate.