18th-Century Paintings for the Staircase

Here are 118 18th-century paintings for the staircase, painted between 1700 and 1798, with works by Gilbert Stuart, John Singleton Copley and Thomas Gainsborough; the subject they return to most is portraits. The stairwell is the one place where paintings should not hang level with each other.

All 830 paintings for the staircase

Every 18th-century painting, for any room

George Washington, Gilbert Stuart 16 × 20 in portrait print (41 × 51 cm), centered 58 in above the stair line. Drawn to scale on a 12 × 8 ft wall.

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Showing 1 to 48 of 118 18th-century paintings

George Washington, Gilbert Stuart, begun 1795, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart George Washington, begun 1795 The Met

Painted portrait of woman in green dress and cloud backdrop.

John Singleton Copley Mrs. Daniel Hubbard (Mary Greene), c. 1764 Art Institute of Chicago

Daniel Crommelin Verplanck, John Singleton Copley, 1771, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Daniel Crommelin Verplanck, 1771 The Met

Portrait of a light-skinned man in a long white wig and red-orange coat, holding a folded piece of paper and standing next to a desk, a large sailing ship off his left shoulder.

John Smibert Richard Bill, 1733 Art Institute of Chicago

Portrait of Sor Juana de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Domingo Ortiz, 1797, oil on canvas

Domingo Ortiz Portrait of Sor Juana de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, 1797 The Met

Large painting, woman in pink dress in front of classical sculpture, shrine.

Joshua Reynolds Lady Sarah Bunbury Sacrificing to the Graces, 1763–65 Art Institute of Chicago

Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady Manners, Thomas Lawrence, 1794, oil on canvas

Thomas Lawrence Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady Manners, 1794 Cleveland Museum of Art

Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of Derby, Thomas Lawrence, 1790, oil on canvas

Thomas Lawrence Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of Derby, 1790 The Met

Captain George K. H. Coussmaker (1759–1801), Joshua Reynolds, 1782, oil on canvas

Joshua Reynolds Captain George K. H. Coussmaker (1759–1801), 1782 The Met

Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet (1761–1818) and Marie Marguerite Carraux de Rosemond (1765–1788), Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, 1785, oil on canvas

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet (1761–1818) and Marie Marguerite Carraux de Rosemond (1765–1788), 1785 The Met

A Monumental Portrait of a Monkey, India, c. 1705–1710, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

India A Monumental Portrait of a Monkey, c. 1705–1710 Art Institute of Chicago

Sarah Dupont, Thomas Gainsborough, c. 1777–79, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Sarah Dupont, c. 1777–79 Art Institute of Chicago

Portrait of Mary Wise, Thomas Gainsborough, c. 1774, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Portrait of Mary Wise, c. 1774 Cleveland Museum of Art

Charles Rousseau Burney (1747–1819), Thomas Gainsborough, ca. 1780, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Charles Rousseau Burney (1747–1819), ca. 1780 The Met

Queen Charlotte, Thomas Gainsborough, 1768, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Queen Charlotte, 1768 The Met

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Pechell (1724–1800), Thomas Gainsborough, 1768, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Lieutenant Colonel Paul Pechell (1724–1800), 1768 The Met

Portrait of a Young Woman, Called Miss Sparrow, Thomas Gainsborough, 1770s, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough Portrait of a Young Woman, Called Miss Sparrow, 1770s The Met

This painting is a portrait of a woman, her torso facing slightly to the left, her face looking directly at us. The woman has fair skin, rosy cheeks, and red lips in a subtle smile.

Thomas Gainsborough Miss Catherine Tatton, 1786 National Gallery of Art

A pale-skinned woman is shown from the waist up within an oval opening in this vertical portrait painting. The woman’s body is angled to our right, but she turns her face to look off to our left with gray eyes.

Thomas Gainsborough Mrs. John Taylor, c. 1778 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the waist up, a young, pale-skinned woman with her gray hair piled high atop her head is lit starkly against a dark background in this vertical portrait painting. The woman’s shoulders are angled to our left.

Thomas Gainsborough Mrs. Paul Cobb Methuen, c. 1776/1777 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the hips up, an elegantly dressed woman with smooth, pale skin and ash-brown hair piled high on her head looks off into the distance to our left in front of a loosely painted landscape in this vertical portrait.

Thomas Gainsborough The Hon. Mrs. Thomas Graham, c. 1775/1777 National Gallery of Art

Mrs. Henry Hill (Anna Barrett), John Singleton Copley, c. 1765–70, pastel on paper mounted on linen

John Singleton Copley Mrs. Henry Hill (Anna Barrett), c. 1765–70 Art Institute of Chicago

Joseph Gerrish, John Singleton Copley, 1770, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Joseph Gerrish, 1770 Art Institute of Chicago

Gulian Verplanck, John Singleton Copley, 1771, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Gulian Verplanck, 1771 The Met

Mrs. John Winthrop, John Singleton Copley, 1773, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Mrs. John Winthrop, 1773 The Met

Samuel Verplanck, John Singleton Copley, 1771, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Samuel Verplanck, 1771 The Met

Elie Williams, Charles Willson Peale, 1789, oil on canvas

Charles Willson Peale Elie Williams, 1789 The Met

Margaret Strachan (Mrs. Thomas Harwood), Charles Willson Peale, ca. 1771, oil on canvas

Charles Willson Peale Margaret Strachan (Mrs. Thomas Harwood), ca. 1771 The Met

Portrait of a Gentleman, Charles Willson Peale, ca. 1775, oil on canvas

Charles Willson Peale Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1775 The Met

Portrait of a Woman, Charles Willson Peale, ca. 1775, oil on canvas

Charles Willson Peale Portrait of a Woman, ca. 1775 The Met

Joseph Anthony Jr., Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1795–98, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart Joseph Anthony Jr., ca. 1795–98 The Met

Man in a Green Coat, Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1779–85, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart Man in a Green Coat, ca. 1779–85 The Met

Matthew Clarkson, Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1794, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart Matthew Clarkson, ca. 1794 The Met

Portrait of the Artist, Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1786, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart Portrait of the Artist, ca. 1786 The Met

John Shaw, Gilbert Stuart, 1793, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart John Shaw, 1793 The Met

James DeLancey, Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1785, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart James DeLancey, ca. 1785 The Met

Georgiana Augusta Frederica Elliott (1782–1813), Later Lady Charles Bentinck, Joshua Reynolds, 1784, oil on canvas

Joshua Reynolds Georgiana Augusta Frederica Elliott (1782–1813), Later Lady Charles Bentinck, 1784 The Met

Shown from the hips up, a pale-skinned woman wearing white sits facing us against a golden-toned landscape background in this vertical portrait painting.

Henry Raeburn Miss Eleanor Urquhart, c. 1793 National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a woman depicted from the waist up. She is seated in a red armchair with gold details, slightly turned to the right, with her hands resting in her lap.

Gilbert Stuart Catherine Yates Pollock (Mrs. George Pollock), 1793/1794 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the chest up, an older man with pale, peachy skin, wearing a high-collared black coat and a cream-white, ruffled collar, is shown against a deep wine-red background in this vertical portrait painting.

Gilbert Stuart George Washington (Vaughan portrait), 1795 National Gallery of Art

Sarah Shippen Lea (Mrs. Thomas Lea), Gilbert Stuart, c. 1798, oil on canvas

Gilbert Stuart Sarah Shippen Lea (Mrs. Thomas Lea), c. 1798 National Gallery of Art

The painting shows a woman's figure from the waist up, seated, and her body is turned slightly to our left. Her head is turned to face the viewer.

Charles Willson Peale Rebecca Bryan White (Mrs. John White), 1788 National Gallery of Art

The image shows a portrait of a man with a soft, round face, a slightly double chin, small eyes, and a neutral expression. He has gray, voluminous hair styled in the fashion of the 18th century.

Joseph Wright of Derby Portrait of a Gentleman, c. 1760 National Gallery of Art

The image is a portrait painting of a woman. She is seated with her body turned slightly to the right, while her head is facing forward towards the viewer. She has a gentle expression with slightly raised eyebrows.

Henry Raeburn Mrs. George Hill, c. 1790/1800 National Gallery of Art

Shown from the lap up, a woman with pale skin wearing a white satin dress and tall white bonnet sits sewing with her body facing our left in this vertical portrait painting.

Gilbert Stuart Catherine Brass Yates (Mrs. Richard Yates), 1793/1794 National Gallery of Art

Gilbert Stuart George Washington (Vaughan-Sinclair portrait), 1795 National Gallery of Art

This painting is a portrait of a woman. She has fair skin, a straight nose, and thin red lips, with her dark hair styled up with flowers.

John Singleton Copley Elizabeth Gray Otis (Mrs. Samuel Alleyne Otis), c. 1764 National Gallery of Art

Sketch for The Copley Family, John Singleton Copley, 1776, oil on canvas

John Singleton Copley Sketch for The Copley Family, 1776 National Gallery of Art

More for the staircase

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Hallway & Entryway 526 shared
Apartment & Dorm 518 shared
Dining Room 129 shared
Guest Room 93 shared

More for the staircase

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Rooms that share paintings