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William Wilberforce

(1759-1833), Philanthropist and reformer

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 33 portraits
An evangelical Christian and social reformer, Wilberforce dedicated himself to the 'suppression of the Slave Trade and the reformation of manners'. He entered Parliament in 1780 as a Tory MP and was the Parliamentary leader of the Abolition movement from 1787. After years of campaigning, Wilberforce's bill to end Britain's part in slave trading was passed to a standing ovation in 1807. A further act of 1833 provided for the emancipation of slaves in British colonies. Wilberforce was plagued by illness for most of his adult life developing ulcerative colitis in his 20s and a curvature of the spine in his 50s which resulted in him wearing a metal support to maintain his head position.

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William Wilberforce, by Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG 3

William Wilberforce

by Sir Thomas Lawrence
oil on canvas, 1828
On display in Room 12 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 3

William Wilberforce, after John Rising - NPG D37514

William Wilberforce

after John Rising
stipple engraving, after 1789
NPG D37514

William Wilberforce, by Charles Howard Hodges, published by  John Rising, published by  Thomas Harmar, after  John Rising - NPG D37512

William Wilberforce

by Charles Howard Hodges, published by John Rising, published by Thomas Harmar, after John Rising
mezzotint, published 1 February 1792
NPG D37512

William Wilberforce, after J. Davies - NPG D8323

William Wilberforce

after J. Davies
line and stipple engraving, published 1792
NPG D8323

'Frontispiece' (Charles James Fox; William Wilberforce), by James Sayers, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D9561

'Frontispiece' (Charles James Fox; William Wilberforce)

by James Sayers, published by Hannah Humphrey
etching, published 14 April 1795
NPG D9561

'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 death of the Great Wolf', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12551

'The death of the Great Wolf'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and engraving, published 17 December 1795
NPG D12551

'The giant factotem amusing himself', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12593

'The giant factotem amusing himself'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 January 1797
NPG D12593

'Parliamentary-reform, - or - opposition-rats, leaving the house they had undermined', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12614

'Parliamentary-reform, - or - opposition-rats, leaving the house they had undermined'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 28 May 1797
NPG D12614

'Consequences of a successful French invasion, No 1, plate 1st', by and published by James Gillray - NPG D13086

'Consequences of a successful French invasion, No 1, plate 1st'

by and published by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching, published 1 March 1798
NPG D13086

'Sketch of the interior of St Stephens, as it now stands', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12781

'Sketch of the interior of St Stephens, as it now stands'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 March 1802
NPG D12781

'A phantasmagoria; - scene - conjuring-up an armed-skeleton', by and published by James Gillray - NPG D12799

'A phantasmagoria; - scene - conjuring-up an armed-skeleton'

by and published by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 5 January 1803
NPG D12799

'The state waggoner, and John Bull - or - the waggon too much for the donkeys!', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12829

'The state waggoner, and John Bull - or - the waggon too much for the donkeys!'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 14 March 1804
NPG D12829

storming Heaven; - with, the gods alarmed for their everlasting-abodes', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13106

storming Heaven; - with, the gods alarmed for their everlasting-abodes'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 1 May 1804
NPG D13106

'The wounded lion', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12847

'The wounded lion'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 July 1805
NPG D12847

'Bruin in his boat, - or - the manager in distress', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12869

'Bruin in his boat, - or - the manager in distress'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 June 1806
NPG D12869

William Wilberforce, by James Heath, published by  William Finden, published by  John Hatchard, published by  William Russell, after  John Russell - NPG D37511

William Wilberforce

by James Heath, published by William Finden, published by John Hatchard, published by William Russell, after John Russell
line engraving, published 1807
NPG D37511

'Pandora opening her box', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12917

'Pandora opening her box'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 22 February 1809
NPG D12917

'The life of William Cobbett - written by himself. No 6', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12929

'The life of William Cobbett - written by himself. No 6'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 29 September 1809
NPG D12929

William Wilberforce, by Henry Edridge, published by  T. Cadell & W. Davies, after  Giovanni Vendramini - NPG D15828

William Wilberforce

by Henry Edridge, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after Giovanni Vendramini
stipple engraving, published 27 October 1809
NPG D15828

William Wilberforce, by Edward Scriven, published by and after  Joseph Slater - NPG D37513

William Wilberforce

by Edward Scriven, published by and after Joseph Slater
stipple engraving, published 10 April 1816
NPG D37513

The Milan Garland or Revels round the Vice Post, by Charles Williams, published by  John Johnston - NPG D46028

The Milan Garland or Revels round the Vice Post

by Charles Williams, published by John Johnston
hand-coloured etching, published July 1820
NPG D46028

William Wilberforce, by William Say, after  Joseph Slater - NPG D11346

William Wilberforce

by William Say, after Joseph Slater
mezzotint, published 18 April 1820
NPG D11346

William Wilberforce, by William Say, published by and after  Joseph Slater - NPG D19023

William Wilberforce

by William Say, published by and after Joseph Slater
mezzotint, published 18 April 1820
NPG D19023

Pope Mistaken, by (Isaac) Robert Cruikshank, published by  George Humphrey - NPG D48680

Pope Mistaken

by (Isaac) Robert Cruikshank, published by George Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published May 1821
NPG D48680

William Wilberforce, by Samuel Cousins, after  George Richmond - NPG D32192

William Wilberforce

by Samuel Cousins, after George Richmond
mezzotint, published 1834 (1833)
NPG D32192

William Wilberforce, published by Kings Town Photocodes Limited, after  George Richmond, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D37510

William Wilberforce

published by Kings Town Photocodes Limited, after George Richmond, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
photographic reproduction, circa 1983 (1828)
NPG D37510

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