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William Pitt

(1759-1806), Prime Minister

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 174 portraits
Pitt dominated Parliament as Tory Prime Minister from 1783 to 1801 and 1804 to 1806. He restructured Britain's finances after the American Revolution and reformed the government of India in 1784. Pitt regarded the French Revolution as a foreign issue but began to worry that British radicals were in touch with French revolutionaries. After France declared war in 1793, he clamped down on domestic dissent with the first series of 'gagging acts'. In 1800 he arranged a Parliamentary union with Ireland but resigned in 1801 over George III's opposition to Catholics sitting in Parliament. Pitt's rivalry with Fox, his political and temperamental opposite, dominated Parliament for over twenty years.

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'France freedom Britain slavery', by James Gillray, published by  James Aitken - NPG D12406

'France freedom Britain slavery'

by James Gillray, published by James Aitken
hand-coloured etching, published 28 July 1789
NPG D12406

William Pitt, by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13068

William Pitt

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
line engraving, published 20 February 1789
NPG D13068

William Pitt, by and published by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13067

William Pitt

by and published by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
line engraving, published 20 February 1789
NPG D13067

William Pitt, by Johann Gerhard Huck, after  Anton Hickel - NPG D40238

William Pitt

by Johann Gerhard Huck, after Anton Hickel
mezzotint, (1790s)
NPG D40238

William Pitt, by Francesco Bartolozzi, after  Gainsborough Dupont - NPG D40239

William Pitt

by Francesco Bartolozzi, after Gainsborough Dupont
stipple engraving, 1790
NPG D40239

William Pitt, published by Robert Sayer, after  Isaac Cruikshank - NPG D3891

William Pitt

published by Robert Sayer, after Isaac Cruikshank
mezzotint, published 20 February 1790 (1789-1790)
NPG D3891

'John-Bull, baited by the dogs of excise', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12408

'John-Bull, baited by the dogs of excise'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 9 April 1790
NPG D12408

William Pitt, published by Robert Sayer, after  Isaac Cruikshank - NPG D18920

William Pitt

published by Robert Sayer, after Isaac Cruikshank
mezzotint, published 20 February 1790 (1789-1790)
NPG D18920

'Wierd sisters; ministers of darkness; minions of the moon', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12436

'Wierd sisters; ministers of darkness; minions of the moon'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 23 December 1791
NPG D12436

The Wrangling Friends or Opposition in Disorder, possibly by Isaac Cruikshank, published by  John Nixon, possibly after  Samuel William Fores - NPG D48866

The Wrangling Friends or Opposition in Disorder

possibly by Isaac Cruikshank, published by John Nixon, possibly after Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 10 May 1791
NPG D48866

'Taming of the shrew : - Katharine & Petruchio : - the modern Quixotte, or what you will', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12416

'Taming of the shrew : - Katharine & Petruchio : - the modern Quixotte, or what you will'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 April 1791
NPG D12416

William Pitt ('An excrescence; - a fungus; - alias - a toad-stool upon a dung-hill'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12435

William Pitt ('An excrescence; - a fungus; - alias - a toad-stool upon a dung-hill')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 December 1791
NPG D12435

'A sphere, projecting against a plane' (William Pitt; Albinia, Countess of Buckinghamshire), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12438

'A sphere, projecting against a plane' (William Pitt; Albinia, Countess of Buckinghamshire)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 3 January 1792
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG D12438

'Malagrida, driving post', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12441

'Malagrida, driving post'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and soft-ground etching, published 16 March 1792
NPG D12441

William Pitt ('The bottomless-Pitt'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12442

William Pitt ('The bottomless-Pitt')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 March 1792
NPG D12442

'The fall of the Wolsey of the woolsack', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12457

'The fall of the Wolsey of the woolsack'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1792
NPG D12457

'Sin, Death, and the Devil', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12458

'Sin, Death, and the Devil'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 June 1792
NPG D12458

William Pitt ('John Bull bother'd; - or - the geese alarming the capitol'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12465

William Pitt ('John Bull bother'd; - or - the geese alarming the capitol')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 19 December 1792
NPG D12465

'The dagger scene; - or - the plot discover'd', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12467

'The dagger scene; - or - the plot discover'd'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 30 December 1792
NPG D12467

'Taking physick: - or - the news of shooting the King of Sweden!', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13010

'Taking physick: - or - the news of shooting the King of Sweden!'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 11 April 1792
NPG D13010

'Wha wants me?' (Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville; William Pitt), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13012

'Wha wants me?' (Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville; William Pitt)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1792
NPG D13012

'A smoking club', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12470

'A smoking club'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 13 February 1793
NPG D12470

'Dumourier dining in state at St James's, on the 15th of May, 1793, by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12474

'Dumourier dining in state at St James's, on the 15th of May, 1793

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 30 March 1793
NPG D12474

'Presentation of the Mahometan credentials - or - the final resource of French atheists', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13018

'Presentation of the Mahometan credentials - or - the final resource of French atheists'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 26 December 1793
NPG D13018

William Pitt ('The State Caterpillar'), by William Hanlon, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D48867

William Pitt ('The State Caterpillar')

by William Hanlon, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 1 September 1795
NPG D48867

'Ministerial eloquence', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12507

'Ministerial eloquence'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 6 January 1795
NPG D12507

'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

William Pitt ('Blindmans-buff - or - too many for John Bull'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12531

William Pitt ('Blindmans-buff - or - too many for John Bull')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 June 1795
NPG D12531

William Pitt ('The British butcher, supplying John Bull with a substitute for bread'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12541

William Pitt ('The British butcher, supplying John Bull with a substitute for bread')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 6 July 1795
NPG D12541

William Pitt ('The sleep-walker'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12542

William Pitt ('The sleep-walker')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 November 1795
NPG D12542

'The Republican attack', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12543

'The Republican attack'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 November 1795
NPG D12543

'Hanging. Drowning', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12545

'Hanging. Drowning'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 November 1795
NPG D12545

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