King George IV
(1762-1830), Regent 1811-19; Reigned 1820-30Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 274 portraits
George, Prince of Wales was given no official duties by his father King George III. Jockeying for power, he sought to undermine the King by siding with the Whig opposition led by Charles James Fox. When the King went temporarily insane in 1788 William Pitt, the Tory Prime Minister, proposed a restricted Regency to protect the King's interests. The King's recovery three months later ended the 'Regency Crisis'. The Regency Bill was revived during the King's final illness. George was sworn Regent in 1811 and crowned King in 1820. Vain, self-indulgent and debauched he was, however, a man of exceptional taste and style who is best remembered for his magnificent patronage of the arts.
'The fall of Phaeton' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe))
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 1 July 1788
NPG D12997
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 4 June 1788
NPG D13065
by John Raphael Smith, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1789 (1782)
NPG D10984
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and aquatint, published 18 February 1789
NPG D12251
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 11 March 1789
NPG D12253
by Thomas Rowlandson, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 30 January 1789
NPG D12397
'Brunswick triumphant! or - the battle of the blood's, - pure, and contaminated'
by James Gillray, published by James Aitken
hand-coloured etching, published 23 May 1789
NPG D12400
King George IV; King George III; Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
by C. Tomkins
etching, circa 1790s
NPG D33138
by C. Tomkins
hand-coloured etching, circa 1790s
NPG D15095
'Bandelures' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe); Richard Brinsley Sheridan)
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
etching and stipple, published 28 February 1791
NPG D12412
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 November 1791
NPG D12429
'A voluptuary under the horrors of digestion' (King George IV)
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple, published 2 July 1792
NPG D33359
King George IV ('A voluptuary under the horrors of digestion')
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple, published 2 July 1792
NPG D12460
'Modern hospitality, - or - a friendly party in high life'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 31 March 1792
NPG D12447
'Vices overlook'd in the new proclamation'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1792
NPG D12456
'The visit to Piccadilly; - or - a Prussian reception'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 July 1792
NPG D12462
by Francis Haward, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, published 1793 (1783)
NPG D10980
by Francis Haward, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
etching, published 1793 (1783)
NPG D10981
King George IV when Prince of Wales
after Robert Dighton
mezzotint, 1793 or after
NPG D8047
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by John Brydon, after Simon de Koster
mezzotint, published 1 May 1794
NPG D33330
by Jean Condé, published by Pierre Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1 December 1794
NPG D14900
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 24 January 1795
NPG D12515
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1795
NPG D12527
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 4 June 1795
NPG D12528
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 November 1795
NPG D12548
by Jean Condé, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 1795
NPG D13730
published by John Fairburn
mezzotint, published 24 February 1795
NPG D19819
'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 October 1796
NPG D12579
'The presentation - or - the wise men's offering'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 January 1796
NPG D12553
King George IV ('Hint to modern sculptors, as an ornament to a future square')
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 3 May 1796
NPG D12570
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 30 June 1796
NPG D12576
'The Jersey smuggler detected; - or - good cause for (separation) discontent'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1796
NPG D13023
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 25 May 1796
NPG D13024
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 June 1796
NPG D13025
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 18 May 1797
NPG D12613
by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1797
NPG D15555
King George IV; Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
by Michael Sloane, published by Luigi Schiavonetti, after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 12 April 1797
NPG D20038
'Duke William's ghost' (King George IV; William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland)
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured soft-ground etching, published 7 May 1799
NPG D13030
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 21 January 1801
NPG D12754
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 10 March 1802
NPG D12783
Related People
- Prince Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (brother)
- Princess Amelia (sister)
- Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife)
- Charlotte Augusta Matilda, Princess Royal (sister)
- Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales (daughter)
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (mother)
- Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg (sister)
- Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover (brother)
- Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe) (wife)
- Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (brother)
- King George III (father)
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (brother)
- Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (sister)
- Prince Octavius (brother)
- Princess Augusta Sophia (sister)
- Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (brother)
- King William IV (brother)
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