James Sayers (1748-1823), Artist
Sitter in 1 portrait
Artist associated with 188 portraits
An attorney of independent means he quit his profession in order to focus on political caricature. His allegiance was with the Tory William Pitt and he directed his satire against Charles James Fox and his Coalition Ministry. Underlining the power of the political print in the late eighteenth century, Fox is said to have declared that Sayers' caricatures had done him 'more mischief than the debates in Parliament or the works of the Press'. Sayers' strengths lay in his gift for portraiture and characterisation and his prints were evidently a source of reference for James Gillray and others. The National Portrait Gallery collection includes an album of etchings selected for a friend by Sayers himself in 1818.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan ('A peep behind the curtain at Drury Lane')
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 14 January 1780
NPG D9542
'A scene in the Fair Circassian' (Robert Bensley; Elizabeth (née Farren), Countess of Derby)
by James Sayers
etching, 1781?
NPG D9544
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D1146
Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 14 May 1782
NPG D2298
'Vox populi' (Charles James Fox)
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 6 April 1782
NPG D2362
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 14 May 1782
NPG D2827
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D5830
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 3 July 1782
NPG D5900
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 6 April 1782
NPG D9008
'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
Sir Francis Molineux; Robert Quarme
by James Sayers
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D9566
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 6 April 1782
NPG D9592
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D9620
Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D9622
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 4 June 1782
NPG D9638
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 17 June 1782
NPG D9661
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 6 April 1782
NPG D9665
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 3 July 1782
NPG D9675
Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham
by James Sayers, published by Charles Bretherton
etching, published 14 May 1782
NPG D9728
Norfolk
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