The Reverend Mr Edward Hitchin, B.D.

Half length portrait in painted oval frame. Inspired by, rather than a direct copy of, the famous Dunkerton/Paterson engraving in the NPG collection (see Chaloner Smith). Edward Hitchin was the dissenting Rector of Christchurch Spitalfields in London. Bowles retains the basic composition of Paterson’s portrait, with the stout clergyman, dressed in black with preaching tabs, half turned away from the painter, with a background curtain. Bowles has drawn the curtain back to reveal a shelf of finely bound books, one of them clearly marked “Bible”. The overall style has an unsubtle, if charming, naivety about it.