William Cowper
(1731-1800), PoetMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 7 portraits
Poet; he studied law at Temple. Cowper achieved popular success with the publication, in 1785, of a volume of poetry including The Diverting History of John Gilpin, a humorous ballad that became the most popular poem of the decade, and The Task, which condemned slavery. He suffered from severe depression throughout his life, and an early personal and professional crisis led to his conversion to evangelical Christianity, influencing much of his work. Several hymns that he wrote became favourites, including 'God moves in a mysterious way'.
by Lemuel Francis Abbott
oil on canvas, 1792
NPG 2783
by William Harvey, after Lemuel Francis Abbott
watercolour and pencil, circa 1835, based on a work of 1792
NPG 806
by George Romney
pastel, 1792
NPG 1423
after Sir Thomas Lawrence
pencil, (1793)
NPG D159
by William Blake, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
stipple engraving, 1802 (1793)
NPG D20230
by Henry Meyer, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after Lemuel Francis Abbott
stipple engraving, published 11 June 1816
NPG D14901
by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by William Richard Beckford Miller, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
stipple engraving, published 1 May 1805 (1793)
NPG D19512
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Kate Bostock
17 September 2015, 12:02
The Cowper & Newton Museum have just acquired a plaster bust of Cowper from the workshop of Shout of Holborn, with the date 1820. It's 24 inches high. Would you like some images of it? There's a great piece about the Shouts on your website. Do you by any chance have a catalogue dating from the 1820s?