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William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath

16 of 1425 portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath

by Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, 1761
61 in. x 58 in. (1549 mm x 1473 mm)
Purchased, 1872
Primary Collection
NPG 337

Sitterback to top

Artistback to top

  • Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Artist or producer associated with 1425 portraits, Sitter associated with 40 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait was commissioned for Pulteney's devoted friend, Elizabeth Montagu. During the painting of the portrait, Pulteney wrote, 'I find that none of these great Painters finish any of their Pictures themselves.' Pulteney also thought the portrait had a 'sickly look', and he was offended to learn that Reynolds employed a 'drapery' painter for the costumes and background. More detailed information on this portrait is available in a National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, John Kerslake's Early Georgian Portraits (1977, out of print).

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D666: William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (source portrait)
  • NPG D667: William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (source portrait)

Linked publicationsback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1761back to top

Current affairs

George, Prince of Wales marries Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz at St James' Palace. He is crowned George III two weeks later.
Buckingham House, on the site of present-day Buckingham Palace, is purchased for the royal family.
Bridgewater canal, engineered by James Brindley, opens as Britain's first canal.




Art and science

Establishment of Matthew Boulton's toy factory, the Soho Manufactory, near Birmingham; considered the first modern factory in Britain.
Allan Ramsay becomes Painter to the King.

International

Seven Years' War: General Sir Eyre Coote captures Pondicherry from the French in India. A combined Prussian-Hanoverian-British force led by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick defeats a large French army at the Battle of Villinghausen. France and Spain sign the Pacte de Famille forming an alliance against Britain. Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder fails to garner support to declare war on Spain.

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