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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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William Pitt, studio of John Hoppner - NPG L267

William Pitt

studio of John Hoppner
oil on canvas, circa 1805 or after
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L267

William Pitt, by Dominick Andrew Olivieri, after  Joseph Nollekens - NPG 1240

William Pitt

by Dominick Andrew Olivieri, after Joseph Nollekens
marble bust, 1823, based on a work of 1806
NPG 1240

William Pitt, by Joseph Nollekens - NPG 120

William Pitt

by Joseph Nollekens
marble bust, 1808
On display in Room 15 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 120

William Pitt, by Unknown artist - NPG D7046

William Pitt

by Unknown artist
plaster cast of seal, late 18th-early 19th century
NPG D7046

William Pitt, after Unknown artist - NPG D16358

William Pitt

after Unknown artist
etching, late 18th century
NPG D16358

'Aside he turn'd for envy, yet with jealous leer malign, eyd them askance', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12302

'Aside he turn'd for envy, yet with jealous leer malign, eyd them askance'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 December 1782
NPG D12302

'Jove in his chair', by James Gillray, published by  Elizabeth d'Achery - NPG D12315

'Jove in his chair'

by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 11 September 1782
NPG D12315

'Cicero in Catilinam', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12236

'Cicero in Catilinam'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 17 March 1785
NPG D12236

'Westminster school. or - Dr Busby settling accounts with Master-Billy and his playmates', by James Gillray, published by  James Ridgway - NPG D12993

'Westminster school. or - Dr Busby settling accounts with Master-Billy and his playmates'

by James Gillray, published by James Ridgway
hand-coloured etching, published 4 February 1785
NPG D12993

'A new way to pay the National-Debt', by James Gillray, published by  William Holland - NPG D13052

'A new way to pay the National-Debt'

by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching and engraving, published 21 April 1786
NPG D13052

'Anticipation, or the approaching fate of the French Commercial Treaty', by James Gillray, published by  William Holland - NPG D12356

'Anticipation, or the approaching fate of the French Commercial Treaty'

by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching, published 1787?
NPG D12356

William Pitt ('The Minister endeavouring to eke out Dr Pr*ty***n's bisho-prick'), by James Gillray, published by  R. Phillips - NPG D12357

William Pitt ('The Minister endeavouring to eke out Dr Pr*ty***n's bisho-prick')

by James Gillray, published by R. Phillips
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published March 1787
NPG D12357

'The board of controul, or the blessings of a Scotch dictator', by James Gillray, published by  R. Phillips - NPG D12359

'The board of controul, or the blessings of a Scotch dictator'

by James Gillray, published by R. Phillips
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 March 1787
NPG D12359

'The Prince at Grasse', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12362

'The Prince at Grasse'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12362

'The Prince in Clover', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12363

'The Prince in Clover'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12363

'The sick prince', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12365

'The sick prince'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 16 June 1787
NPG D12365

'Dido forsaken', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12994

'Dido forsaken'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 21 May 1787
NPG D12994

'Ancient music', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13060

'Ancient music'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 10 May 1787
NPG D13060

'Ancient music', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D14861

'Ancient music'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
etching, published 10 May 1787
NPG D14861

'There's more ways than one' (Charles James Fox; William Pitt; Edward Thurlow, Baron Thurlow), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12373

'There's more ways than one' (Charles James Fox; William Pitt; Edward Thurlow, Baron Thurlow)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 18 February 1788
NPG D12373

'Market day', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12377

'Market day'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 May 1788
NPG D12377

'The bow to the throne, - alias - the begging bow', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12378

'The bow to the throne, - alias - the begging bow'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 6 May 1788
NPG D12378

'State-jugglers', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12381

'State-jugglers'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 16 May 1788
NPG D12381

'-Coaches', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12383

'-Coaches'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1788
NPG D12383

'Election-troops, bring in their accounts, to the pay-table' (Edward Topham; William Pitt), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12390

'Election-troops, bring in their accounts, to the pay-table' (Edward Topham; William Pitt)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 14 August 1788
NPG D12390

William Pitt, by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by  Robert Wilkinson, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40236

William Pitt

by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by Robert Wilkinson, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 15 June 1789
NPG D40236

William Pitt, by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by  Robert Wilkinson, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40249

William Pitt

by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by Robert Wilkinson, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 15 June 1789
NPG D40249

William Pitt, by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by  Robert Wilkinson, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40250

William Pitt

by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, and published by Robert Wilkinson, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 15 June 1789
NPG D40250

William Pitt ('The vulture of the constitution'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12395

William Pitt ('The vulture of the constitution')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 3 January 1789
NPG D12395

William Pitt, by James Gillray, published by  John Harris - NPG D12402

William Pitt

by James Gillray, published by John Harris
etching, published 9 April 1789
NPG D12402

William Pitt, by James Gillray, published by  John Harris - NPG D12403

William Pitt

by James Gillray, published by John Harris
etching, published 28 May 1789
NPG D12403

'The coward comforted, - or - a scene immediately after the duel', by James Gillray, published by  James Aitken - NPG D12404

'The coward comforted, - or - a scene immediately after the duel'

by James Gillray, published by James Aitken
hand-coloured etching, published 29 May 1789
NPG D12404

'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

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