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Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (1742-1811), Statesman

Sitter associated with 80 portraits
Henry Dundas was an important ally of Prime Minister William Pitt and a leading power-broker in Scotland. In 1784, he helped to pass Pitt's India Act, removing political power from the East India Company. As Home Secretary between 1791 and 1794, Melville delayed the abolition of slavery by amending Wilberforce's bill to make abolition 'gradual'. He was appointed Secretary of War in 1794 and organised the successful Egyptian campaign of 1801. His career came to an end in 1804, when he was impeached for financial mismanagement. He was narrowly acquitted but never held another ministerial position.

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745

The House of Commons 1793-94

by Karl Anton Hickel
oil on canvas, 1793-1795
On display at Palace of Westminster, London
NPG 745

746

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville

replica by Sir Thomas Lawrence
oil on canvas, circa 1810
NPG 746

D15390

John Baker Holroyd, Earl of Sheffield; Sir William Forbes; Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville; Charles Bingham, Earl of Lucan

by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, circa 1725-1750
NPG D15390

D9858

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville

by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 6 April 1782
NPG D9858

D16521

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville

by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
coloured etching, 1782
NPG D16521

D19829

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville

by John Raphael Smith, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1782)
NPG D19829

D12233

'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

D12317

'The nabob rumbled or a Lord Advocates amusement' (Captain Rumbold; Sir Thomas Rumbold; Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville)

by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 21 January 1783
NPG D12317

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

D12359

'The board of controul, or the blessings of a Scotch dictator'

by James Gillray, published by R. Phillips
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 March 1787
NPG D12359

D12362

'The Prince at Grasse'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12362

D12363

'The Prince in Clover'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12363

D12994

'Dido forsaken'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 21 May 1787
NPG D12994

D13060

'Ancient music'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 10 May 1787
NPG D13060

D12375

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville ('Dun-Shaw')

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, aquatint and soft-ground etching, published 7 March 1788
NPG D12375

D12377

'Market day'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 May 1788
NPG D12377

D12381

'State-jugglers'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 16 May 1788
NPG D12381

D12383

'-Coaches'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1788
NPG D12383

D13065

'The installation-supper, as given at the Pantheon, by the Knights of the Bath on the 26th of May, 1788

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 4 June 1788
NPG D13065

D12408

'John-Bull, baited by the dogs of excise'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 9 April 1790
NPG D12408

Category
Politics, Government and Diplomacy
Groups
Mince-pie administration
Regency Tories
The Raj and the Indian sub-continent
Places
Egypt
India