William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne
(1737-1805), Prime Minister and patron of the artsMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 68 portraits
Petty, who was styled Viscount Fitzmaurice, entered the Army after university and served in the Seven Years' War. In 1760, he was promoted colonel and appointed aide-de-camp to King George III. That year he was elected to Parliament for the borough of Chipping Wycombe. Before he could take his seat, his father died and he entered the House of Lords. He served in senior offices including First Lord of Trade and Home Secretary. In 1782 he was appointed Prime Minister on the death of Lord Rockingham. The Whigs refused to serve under him and combined with Lord North to defeat him the following year. In 1784, he was created Marquess of Lansdowne, after which he retired from politics.
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne)
after Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, late 18th century, based on a work of 1766
NPG 43
The Death of the Earl of Chatham
by John Singleton Copley
oil on canvas, 1779-1781
NPG L146
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne)
by and published by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1764)
NPG D3536
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne)
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 14 May 1782
NPG D45918
'Date obolum Belisario' (Isaac Barré; William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne))
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 24 August 1782
NPG D9553
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 July 1782
NPG D9562
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne)
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 14 May 1782
NPG D9822
by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching, published 14 August 1782
NPG D12296
'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
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 April 1782
NPG D12304
'Gloria Mundi, or - the Devil addressing the sun'
by James Gillray, published by William Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 22 July 1782
NPG D12310
by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 2 August 1782
NPG D12311
by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 11 September 1782
NPG D12315
'Malagrida and conspirators, consulting the ghost of Oliver Cromwell'
by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published June 1782
NPG D12323
by James Gillray, published by William Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published circa June 1782
NPG D12324
by James Gillray, published by P.J. Leatherhead
hand-coloured etching, published 23 July 1782
NPG D12986
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 July 1782
NPG D16764
by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching, published 14 August 1782
NPG D16766
Probably William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne
by James Bretherton
etching, published 3 January 1783
NPG D45916
'Razor's levée, or ye heads of a new Whig ad...........n on a broad bottom'
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 21 April 1783
NPG D12233
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