Edmund Burke

Sitterback to top

• Edmund Burke (1729 or 1730-1797), Statesman. Sitter associated with 103 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Artist associated with 1413 portraits, Sitter associated with 38 portraits.

This portraitback to top

The statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke spoke regularly in the House of Commons on colonial issues. He was a strong critic of Britain's policy on America and his speech On Conciliation with America was published in 1775; 'Reflect how you are to govern a people who think they ought to be free and think they are not'. He was also a force behind the much-needed reform of the corrupt East India Company and in 1788 he opened the trial of Warren Hastings, the Governor-General of Bengal, with a speech of inspired eloquence.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• Bayly, Christopher, The Raj: India and the British 1600-1947, 1990 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 19 October 1990 - 17 March 1991), p. 124
• Holmes, Richard; Crane, David; Woof, Robert; Hebron, Stephen, Romantics and Revolutionaries: Regency portraits from the National Portrait Gallery, 2002, p. 111
• Ingamells, John, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, 2004, p. 77
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 89
• Woof, Robert; Hebron, Stephen, Romantic Icons, 1999, p. 15

Subjects & Themesback to top

• On display at the Gallery
• Regency Empire Portraits