William Ewart Gladstone
(1809-1898), Prime Minister and writer; Trustee of the National Portrait GalleryEarly Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 324 portraits
Famous as the ‘grand old man’ of British politics; Gladstone was leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister in four governments from 1868 to 1894. Gladstone was responsible for major reforms in every sphere of national life, and for the development of imperial foreign policy. He divided the party on the issue of Irish Home Rule and stamped his moral authority on the politics of his time. Gladstone’s father, John Gladstone was one of the largest owners of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and this wealth supported Gladstone’s early career in politics. As a politician, Gladstone supported the proposal to compensate slave-owners for the loss of their ‘property’ after slavery was abolished and the introduction of the apprenticeship system that required newly freed Africans to continue working for their masters for four to six years.
by Daniel John Pound, after a photograph by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
line and stipple engraving, published 1859
NPG D8342
by Daniel John Pound, after a photograph by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
line and stipple engraving, published 1859
NPG D8341
by William Holl Jr, after a photograph by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
stipple and line engraving, (23 July 1861)
NPG D8335
by William Holl Jr, after a photograph by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
stipple and line engraving, (23 July 1861)
NPG D8336
by Thomas Oldham Barlow, after John Phillip
mezzotint, 1863 or after
NPG D1396
by 'A.T.'
engraving, published 1868
NPG D4427
by Carlo Pellegrini
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 6 February 1869
NPG D43365
by Carlo Pellegrini
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 6 February 1869
NPG D8424
by Morris & Co, after Charles William Walton
lithograph, 1870s
NPG D34515
probably after London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
embossed chromolithographic 'scrap', circa 1870s
NPG D42969
by and after Harry Furniss, and after John Leech, and after Sir John Tenniel, and after Linley Sambourne
line engraving, late 19th century
NPG D2776
published by Frederick Arnold, after Unknown artist
lithograph, published in the Hornet 22 February 1871
NPG D48224
'The Political Ishmael' (Henry Fawcett; William Ewart Gladstone)
published by Frederick Arnold, after Unknown artist
lithograph, published in the Hornet 8 May 1872
NPG D48287
'The throne not vacant yet' (group including Queen Victoria and King Edward VII)
by Frederick Sem
lithograph, published 18 February 1874
NPG D33658
published by Morris & Newman, after Unknown artist
hand-coloured lithograph, 1876
NPG D48207
William Ewart Gladstone (Season Number "The People's William."')
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 1 July 1879
NPG D43910
by Press Etching Company, after London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
relief halftone, early 1880s
NPG D34529
by Théobald Chartran ('T')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 6 July 1880
NPG D43966
William Ewart Gladstone ('Midlothian Promises of Peace and Retirement')
published by Reynolds & Co
hand-coloured lithograph, 1880-1885
NPG D8339
by I.A. Innes
transfer lithograph, 1881
NPG D34525
"The Gladstone Memorial" (Charles Bradlaugh; William Ewart Gladstone)
by Unknown artist
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 7 December 1881
NPG D44044
by Thomas Oldham Barlow, published by Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd, after Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Bt
mezzotint, published 20 May 1881 (1879)
NPG D8096
by Maclure & Macdonald, after Samuel Alexander Walker
chromolithograph, published 21 October 1882
NPG D34522
Herbert John Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone; William Ewart Gladstone; William Henry Gladstone
printed by M & N Hanhart, published by Beynon & Company, after Bassano Ltd, after Elliott & Fry
lithograph, published 9 December 1882
NPG D34523
by William Biscombe Gardner, published by Illustrated London News
wood engraving printed in colours, published 17 February 1883
NPG D34527
"The Cabinet Council, 1883" (Gladstone and 13 colleagues)
by Théobald Chartran ('T')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 27 November 1883
NPG D44149
by Maclure & Macdonald, after Samuel Alexander Walker
chromolithograph, published 18 December 1884
NPG D34521
"The Lobby of the House of Commons, 1886"
by Liborio Prosperi ('Lib')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 30 November 1886
NPG D44308
William Ewart Gladstone ('Statesmen. No. 532.')
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 5 November 1887
NPG D44357
by Harry Edwin
silhouette, circa 1887-1895
NPG D535
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published 1887
NPG D8423
by Frank Sternberg, published by and after Henry Jones Thaddeus (Henry Thaddeus Jones)
mezzotint, published 1 February 1889 (1888)
NPG D34528
by W(?) Burton, after Unknown photographer
etching, 1889
NPG D8332
by W(?) Burton, after Unknown photographer
etching after a photograph originally published in the Pall Mall Gazette 'Grand Old Man' extra, 1889
NPG D8333
by W(?) Burton, after Unknown photographer
etching after a photograph originally published in the Pall Mall Gazette 'Grand Old Man' extra, 1889
NPG D8334
Mr Gladstone and his grandson, Deiniol Gladstone, in the library of The Rectory, Hawarden
after Sydney Prior Hall
wood engraving, 1890s
NPG D34517
William Ewart Gladstone ('Mr Gladstone reading the lesson in Hawarden Church')
after Sydney Prior Hall
halftone printed in colours, 1890s
NPG D34520
William Ewart Gladstone; William Glynne Charles Gladstone
by Daniel Albert Wehrschmidt (later Veresmith), published by Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd, after Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Bt
mezzotint, published 20 October 1890
NPG D34524
by John McLure Hamilton
lithograph printed in three colours, circa 1890
NPG D46102
by Hans Christian Olsen, after London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
wood engraving, published 26 September 1891
NPG D34519
William Ewart Gladstone; Joe Chamberlain and seven other sitters
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41922
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41923
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41924
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41925
Joe Chamberlain, Gladstone, Balfour, Harcourt et al
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41942
William Ewart Gladstone; Joe Chamberlain
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
glass lantern slide, circa 1892-1895
NPG D41944
"Mixed Political Wares: Methodical & Methodist, Babble and Bluster and Faithful & Faddist"
by Sir Leslie Ward
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 3 December 1892
NPG D44623
William Ewart Gladstone ('The evening of his days: Mr Gladstone in the library at Hawarden Castle')
after Sydney Prior Hall
wood engraving, published 19 May 1898 (1890s)
NPG D34518
William Ewart Gladstone ('Mr. Gladstone speaking on the Transvaal difficulty, March 16, 1883')
by Charles Roberts, after Theodore Blake Wirgman
wood engraving, published by The Graphic 1898
NPG D34526
by Carlo Pellegrini, printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son
chromolithograph, reprint published in Vanity Fair 26 May 1898; originally published 16 February 1869
NPG D44909
published by William Heinemann, after William Nicholson
lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut, published 1899
NPG D32965
after Sir Francis Carruthers Gould ('F.C.G.')
line block postcard, circa 1903
NPG D42276
Key to Private View of the Old Masters Exhibition, Royal Academy, 1888
after Henry Jamyn Brooks
photograph, 1919 or after
NPG D42236
by Unknown photographer
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s-1870s
NPG Ax38749
by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax10005
by Caldesi, Blanford & Co
albumen carte-de-visite, 9 July 1863
NPG x5953
by Henry Joseph Whitlock
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1869
NPG x27762
Related People
- Mary Drew (née Gladstone) (daughter)
- Herbert John Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone (son)
- Henry Neville Gladstone, 1st Baron Gladstone of Hawarden (son)
- Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) (wife)
- Constance Gertrude Gladstone (granddaughter)
- Evelyn Catherine Gladstone (granddaughter)
- Helen Gladstone (daughter)
- Sir John Gladstone (father)
- Robertson Gladstone (brother)
- Stephen Deiniol Gladstone (grandson)
- Stephen Edward Gladstone (son)
- Sir Thomas Gladstone, 2nd Bt (brother)
- William Glynne Charles Gladstone (grandson)
- William Henry Gladstone (son)
- Dorothy Mary Catherine ('Dossie') Parish (née Drew) (granddaughter)
- Agnes Wickham (née Gladstone) (daughter)
- Lucy C. Wickham (granddaughter)
- Margaret Wickham (granddaughter)
- William G. Wickham (grandson)
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