William Dickinson
(1746-1823), Engraver and printsellerSitter in 1 portrait
Artist associated with 85 portraits
It is unknown where Dickinson trained as an engraver, but in 1773 he began publishing his own prints. By 1778, he had entered into partnership with the engraver Thomas Watson. They took over the print shop of Walter Shropshire in New Bond Street, where they had a stock of plates based on modern artists including Reynolds. Watson died in 1781 but Dickinson continued with the business. He built up a large stock of modern plates and in 1791 he was appointed engraver to the Prince of Wales. Two years later, he went bankrupt. He moved to France in 1797 where he worked as a mezzotint engraver. In Paris, he engraved portraits of the king of Saxony in 1811 and of the Emperor Napoleon in 1815.
by and published by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 2 February 1775
NPG D40162
Jane Gordon (née Maxwell), Duchess of Gordon
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1775
NPG D2449
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, 24 September 1776
NPG D36507
by and published by William Dickinson, after Nathaniel Hone
mezzotint, published 10 April 1776
NPG D38472
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, 24 September 1776
NPG D3169
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, 24 September 1776
NPG D3170
by and published by William Dickinson, and published by Thomas Watson, after Matthew William Peters
mezzotint, published 12 November 1778
NPG D36918
by and published by Thomas Watson, and published by William Dickinson, after Daniel Gardner
mezzotint, published 1 January 1778
NPG D39323
Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, circa 1778 (1775-1776)
NPG D40506
Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, circa 1778 (1775-1776)
NPG D40507
Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple
by William Dickinson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, circa 1778 (1775-1776)
NPG D40508
Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple
by and published by William Dickinson, published by James Watson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 10 May 1778 (1775-1776)
NPG D15009
by and published by William Dickinson, and published by Thomas Watson, after Matthew William Peters
mezzotint, published 12 November 1778
NPG D18431
by William Dickinson, published by J. Walker, after John Russell
mezzotint, published 1778
NPG D15676
Augustus Keppel, Viscount Keppel
by William Dickinson, after George Romney
mezzotint, published 1779 (1779)
NPG D6565
by William Dickinson, published by Robert Wilkinson, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, published December 1780
NPG D38886
by William Dickinson, after Sir Peter Paul Rubens
mezzotint, published 1780
NPG D4553
by William Dickinson, after Robert Edge Pine
mezzotint, published 1780
NPG D5525
published by William Dickinson, after Henry William Bunbury
stipple engraving, published 1781
NPG D21380
by William Dickinson, by Thomas Watson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1781
NPG D33153
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Jim Sherry
28 February 2020, 20:07
The William Dickinson referenced in your link was a printseller, not an MP. He was also living in France at the time of Gillray's print, so it can't be him in Gillray's "Hope." This is the one you probably want. (http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/dickinson-william-i-1745-1806) He was at least an MP at the right time. But personally I question the identification of Gillray's figure as Dickinson at all.
He had no involvement in the Robson debate depicted in "Despair." And his votes in Parliament do not suggest that he was a fan of Addington.