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Richard Brinsley Sheridan

(1751-1816), Dramatist and parliamentary orator

Sitter associated with 168 portraits
Playwright and statesman; eloped with Elizabeth Linley whom he subsequently married, 1772; established his reputation with his comedy, The Rivals, 1775; manager of Drury Lane Theatre from 1776; The School for Scandal performed 1777. A favourite in society, he also embarked on a successful political career, becoming a Whig MP, 1780; noted as an orator; held office under Rockingham and Portland, and led the impeachment against Warren Hastings; friend and confidant of the Prince of Wales.

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Richard Brinsley Sheridan, by Unknown artist - NPG D5967

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

by Unknown artist
line engraving, published 1 November 1777
NPG D5967

Richard Brinsley Sheridan ('A peep behind the curtain at Drury Lane'), by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D9542

Richard Brinsley Sheridan ('A peep behind the curtain at Drury Lane')

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 14 January 1780
NPG D9542

'Banditti', by John Boyne, published by  Edward Hedges - NPG D12343

'Banditti'

by John Boyne, published by Edward Hedges
etching, published 22 December 1783
NPG D12343

'General Blackbeard wounded at the battle of Leadenhall', by John Boyne, published by  Edward Hedges - NPG D12344

'General Blackbeard wounded at the battle of Leadenhall'

by John Boyne, published by Edward Hedges
etching, published 5 January 1784
NPG D12344

'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

'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

'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

'The theatrical war', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12366

'The theatrical war'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 30 June 1787
NPG D12366

Richard Brinsley Sheridan, published by Photographische Gesellschaft, after  John Russell - NPG D40698

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

published by Photographische Gesellschaft, after John Russell
photogravure, (1788)
NPG D40698

'The princess's bow alias the Bow Begum', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D9573

'The princess's bow alias the Bow Begum'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 1 May 1788
NPG D9573

'Oppositions attempt to raise the dead', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12240

'Oppositions attempt to raise the dead'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 17 March 1788
NPG D12240

'The shadow of opposition', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12248

'The shadow of opposition'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 31 March 1788
NPG D12248

'The Westminster hunt', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12376

'The Westminster hunt'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 27 April 1788
NPG D12376

'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

'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

'Opposition-', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12382

'Opposition-'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1788
NPG D12382

'The butchers of freedom', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12384

'The butchers of freedom'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published July 1788
NPG D12384

'Bubbles of opposition', by James Gillray - NPG D12385

'Bubbles of opposition'

by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 19 July 1788
NPG D12385

'Blood and co., setting fire to the tower, and stealing the crown', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12387

'Blood and co., setting fire to the tower, and stealing the crown'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 26 July 1788
NPG D12387

'Harry Jenkins, the masculine and feminine bellows mender', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12388

'Harry Jenkins, the masculine and feminine bellows mender'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 29 July 1788
NPG D12388

'King Henry IVth the last scene', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12391

'King Henry IVth the last scene'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 29 November 1788
NPG D12391

'The battle of Bow-Street', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12998

'The battle of Bow-Street'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published July 1788
NPG D12998

Richard Brinsley Sheridan, by Léon Richeton, after  John Russell - NPG D20986

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

by Léon Richeton, after John Russell
etching, (1788)
NPG D20986

Richard Brinsley Sheridan, by F. Serle, after a bust by  John Charles Lochée - NPG D5968

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

by F. Serle, after a bust by John Charles Lochée
stipple engraving, published 1789
NPG D5968

'The comet', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12251

'The comet'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 18 February 1789
NPG D12251

'The Regency twelfth cake not cut up', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12252

'The Regency twelfth cake not cut up'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 19 February 1789
NPG D12252

'Barataria', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12253

'Barataria'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 11 March 1789
NPG D12253

'Neddy's black box' (King George IV; King Charles I (head of); Edmund Burke; Richard Brinsley Sheridan), by Thomas Rowlandson, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12397

'Neddy's black box' (King George IV; King Charles I (head of); Edmund Burke; Richard Brinsley Sheridan)

by Thomas Rowlandson, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 30 January 1789
NPG D12397

Richard Brinsley Sheridan, by James Gillray, published by  James Aitken - NPG D12974

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

by James Gillray, published by James Aitken
hand-coloured etching, published 29 June 1789
NPG D12974

'The funeral procession of Miss Regency', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13053

'The funeral procession of Miss Regency'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 29 April 1789
NPG D13053

'Mr Burke's pair of spectacles for short-sighted politicians', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D9559

'Mr Burke's pair of spectacles for short-sighted politicians'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 12 May 1791
NPG D9559

'Bandelures' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe); Richard Brinsley Sheridan), by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12412

'Bandelures' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe); Richard Brinsley Sheridan)

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
etching and stipple, published 28 February 1791
NPG D12412

'The impeachment, - or - 'the father of the gang, turnd Kings evidence'', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12419

'The impeachment, - or - 'the father of the gang, turnd Kings evidence''

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published May 1791
NPG D12419

'A Birmingham toast, as given on the 14th of July, by the - Revolution Society', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13075

'A Birmingham toast, as given on the 14th of July, by the - Revolution Society'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 23 July 1791
NPG D13075

'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

'Patriots amusing themselves; - or - Swedes practising at a post', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12449

'Patriots amusing themselves; - or - Swedes practising at a post'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 19 April 1792
NPG D12449

'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

'Sans-culottes, feeding Europe with the bread of liberty', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12469

'Sans-culottes, feeding Europe with the bread of liberty'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 January 1793
NPG D12469

'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

'Blue and buff charity; - or - the patriarch of the Greek clergy applying for relief', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13081

'Blue and buff charity; - or - the patriarch of the Greek clergy applying for relief'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 June 1793
NPG D13081

Richard Brinsley Sheridan ('Barrere'), by James Sayers, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D9940

Richard Brinsley Sheridan ('Barrere')

by James Sayers, published by Hannah Humphrey
soft-ground etching, published 12 May 1794
NPG D9940

'The eruption of the mountain, - or - the horrors of the 'Bocca del Inferno', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12490

'The eruption of the mountain, - or - the horrors of the 'Bocca del Inferno'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 25 July 1794
NPG D12490

'French invasion upon Dutch bottoms', by James Sayers, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12260

'French invasion upon Dutch bottoms'

by James Sayers, published by Hannah Humphrey
etching and aquatint, published 14 April 1795
NPG D12260

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