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King George IV

(1762-1830), Regent 1811-19; Reigned 1820-30

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 274 portraits
George, Prince of Wales was given no official duties by his father King George III. Jockeying for power, he sought to undermine the King by siding with the Whig opposition led by Charles James Fox. When the King went temporarily insane in 1788 William Pitt, the Tory Prime Minister, proposed a restricted Regency to protect the King's interests. The King's recovery three months later ended the 'Regency Crisis'. The Regency Bill was revived during the King's final illness. George was sworn Regent in 1811 and crowned King in 1820. Vain, self-indulgent and debauched he was, however, a man of exceptional taste and style who is best remembered for his magnificent patronage of the arts.

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King George IV, by Jean Condé, published by  Pierre Condé, after  Richard Cosway - NPG D14900

King George IV

by Jean Condé, published by Pierre Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1 December 1794
NPG D14900

'The lover's dream', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12515

'The lover's dream'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 24 January 1795
NPG D12515

'John Bull ground down', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12527

'John Bull ground down'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1795
NPG D12527

'Presages of the millenium', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12528

'Presages of the millenium'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 4 June 1795
NPG D12528

'The royal bull-fight', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12548

'The royal bull-fight'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 November 1795
NPG D12548

King George IV, by Jean Condé, after  Richard Cosway - NPG D13730

King George IV

by Jean Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1795
NPG D13730

King George IV, published by John Fairburn - NPG D19819

King George IV

published by John Fairburn
mezzotint, published 24 February 1795
NPG D19819

'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12579

'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 October 1796
NPG D12579

'The presentation - or - the wise men's offering', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12553

'The presentation - or - the wise men's offering'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 January 1796
NPG D12553

King George IV ('Hint to modern sculptors, as an ornament to a future square'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12570

King George IV ('Hint to modern sculptors, as an ornament to a future square')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 3 May 1796
NPG D12570

'The Jersey smuggler detected; - or - good cause for (separation) discontent', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13023

'The Jersey smuggler detected; - or - good cause for (separation) discontent'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1796
NPG D13023

'The grand-signor retiring', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13024

'The grand-signor retiring'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 25 May 1796
NPG D13024

'Fashionable-jockeyship', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13025

'Fashionable-jockeyship'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1796
NPG D13025

'The bridal night', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12613

'The bridal night'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 18 May 1797
NPG D12613

'The wedding night', by Isaac Cruikshank, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D15555

'The wedding night'

by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1797
NPG D15555

King George IV; Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, by Michael Sloane, published by  Luigi Schiavonetti, after  Richard Cosway - NPG D20038

King George IV; Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

by Michael Sloane, published by Luigi Schiavonetti, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 12 April 1797
NPG D20038

'Duke William's ghost' (King George IV; William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13030

'Duke William's ghost' (King George IV; William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured soft-ground etching, published 7 May 1799
NPG D13030

'The Union Club', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12754

'The Union Club'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 January 1801
NPG D12754

King George IV, by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12783

King George IV

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 10 March 1802
NPG D12783

King George IV, by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12784

King George IV

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 10 March 1802
NPG D12784

'Dilettanti-theatricals: - or - a peep at the green room', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13099

'Dilettanti-theatricals: - or - a peep at the green room'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured soft-ground etching, published 18 February 1803
NPG D13099

King George IV, by Henry Bone, after  Elisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun - NPG D17430

King George IV

by Henry Bone, after Elisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, August 1804 (1803-1804)
NPG D17430

'The reconciliation', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12833

'The reconciliation'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 November 1804
NPG D12833

'A morning ride' (King George IV; Sir John McMahon, 1st Bt), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13105

'A morning ride' (King George IV; Sir John McMahon, 1st Bt)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 25 February 1804
NPG D13105

'L'assemblée nationale: - or - grand cooperation meeting at St Ann's Hill', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13107

'L'assemblée nationale: - or - grand cooperation meeting at St Ann's Hill'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 18 June 1804
NPG D13107

King George IV, by Salomon Jomtob Bennett, after  Sir William Beechey - NPG D10982

King George IV

by Salomon Jomtob Bennett, after Sir William Beechey
line engraving, published 1805 (1798)
NPG D10982

King George IV, by Thomas Cheesman, after  Sir William Beechey - NPG D33328

King George IV

by Thomas Cheesman, after Sir William Beechey
stipple engraving, published 1806
NPG D33328

'A tub for the whale', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12862

'A tub for the whale'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 14 March 1806
NPG D12862

'Visiting the sick', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12871

'Visiting the sick'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 28 July 1806
NPG D12871

The Protestant St George too much for All the Tallons, or the Beast with seven heads, by Isaac Cruikshank, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D47473

The Protestant St George too much for All the Tallons, or the Beast with seven heads

by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 4 April 1807
NPG D47473

King George IV, by Luigi Schiavonetti, published by  T. Cadell & W. Davies, after  Thomas Phillips - NPG D33335

King George IV

by Luigi Schiavonetti, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after Thomas Phillips
stipple engraving, published 11 October 1809
NPG D33335

King George IV, after Thomas Phillips - NPG D33334

King George IV

after Thomas Phillips
lithograph, circa 1811-1819
NPG D33334

National Pursuits, by Charles Williams - NPG D46371

National Pursuits

by Charles Williams
hand-coloured etching, published for the proprietors of Town Talk 1 April 1812
NPG D46371

King George IV when Prince Regent, by William Say, after  John Hoppner - NPG D8048

King George IV when Prince Regent

by William Say, after John Hoppner
mezzotint, published 1812
NPG D8048

King George IV when Prince Regent, by William Say, after  John Hoppner - NPG D11337

King George IV when Prince Regent

by William Say, after John Hoppner
mezzotint, published 1812
NPG D11337

King George IV, by John Raphael Smith, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D33332

King George IV

by John Raphael Smith, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1813 or after (Engraved 1783)
NPG D33332

HRH The Prince of Wales at a Review, by Charles Turner, after  John Singleton Copley - NPG D10983

HRH The Prince of Wales at a Review

by Charles Turner, after John Singleton Copley
mezzotint, published 1813 (1809)
NPG D10983

King George IV when Prince Regent, by Henry Bone, after  Thomas Phillips - NPG D17517

King George IV when Prince Regent

by Henry Bone, after Thomas Phillips
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, August 1814 (1806)
NPG D17517

King George IV, after Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D33343

King George IV

after Sir Thomas Lawrence
photograph of drawing, (circa 1814-1815)
NPG D33343

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, printed by  Charles Joseph Hullmandel, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D33345

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1814)
NPG D33345

Imperial Botany, probably by Charles Williams, published by  William Naunton Jones - NPG D46372

Imperial Botany

probably by Charles Williams, published by William Naunton Jones
hand-coloured etching, published 1 March 1814
NPG D46372

King George IV when Prince Regent, after Unknown artist - NPG D5217

King George IV when Prince Regent

after Unknown artist
hand-coloured etching, published 1815
NPG D5217

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D8049

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1815)
NPG D8049

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21975

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1815)
NPG D21975

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21976

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1815)
NPG D21976

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21977

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1815)
NPG D21977

King George IV, by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D21978

King George IV

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, (1815)
NPG D21978

King George IV when Prince Regent, by Henry Bone, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D17252

King George IV when Prince Regent

by Henry Bone, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1816 (1814)
NPG D17252

'Marriage of the Princess Charlotte of Wales to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg', by Robert Hicks, published by  Nuttall, Fisher & Dixon, after  William Marshall Craig - NPG D16053

'Marriage of the Princess Charlotte of Wales to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg'

by Robert Hicks, published by Nuttall, Fisher & Dixon, after William Marshall Craig
stipple and line engraving, published April 1818
NPG D16053

King George IV, by and published by William Skelton, after  Thomas Phillips - NPG D33340

King George IV

by and published by William Skelton, after Thomas Phillips
line engraving, published 1819
NPG D33340

King George IV, by Thomas Fryer Ranson, after  Edmund Scott - NPG D33333

King George IV

by Thomas Fryer Ranson, after Edmund Scott
engraving, circa 1820-1828
NPG D33333

King George IV, by Thomas Fryer Ranson, published by  Charles James Scott, and published by  Colnaghi & Co, after  Edmund Scott - NPG D33342

King George IV

by Thomas Fryer Ranson, published by Charles James Scott, and published by Colnaghi & Co, after Edmund Scott
engraving, circa 1820-1828
NPG D33342

King George IV, by François Séraphin Delpech, after  Zéphirin Félix Jean Marius Belliard, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D33344

King George IV

by François Séraphin Delpech, after Zéphirin Félix Jean Marius Belliard, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
coloured lithograph, circa 1820-1825
NPG D33344

King George IV, by Unknown artist - NPG D10841

King George IV

by Unknown artist
stamped paper relief, 1820 or after
NPG D10841

King George IV, by Thomas Woolnoth, after  Thomas Charles Wageman - NPG D42496

King George IV

by Thomas Woolnoth, after Thomas Charles Wageman
stipple engraving, after 1820
NPG D42496

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