First Previous 1 OF 5 NextLast

John Singleton Copley

1 of 5 portraits of John Singleton Copley

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation Close

John Singleton Copley

by Gilbert Stuart
oil on canvas, circa 1784
26 1/2 in. x 22 1/4 in. (673 mm x 565 mm)
Bequeathed by Lady Lyndhurst, 1927
Primary Collection
NPG 2143

On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery

Sitterback to top

  • John Singleton Copley (1738-1815), Painter. Sitter in 5 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 21 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), Painter. Artist or producer associated with 61 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Described by Copley's son, Lord Lyndhurst, as the 'best and most agreeable likeness of [my father] ever produced', this oval portrait of the artist by the American-born painter, Gilbert Stuart was commissioned by the publisher, Josiah Boydell in 1783. The portrait was destined for Boydell's new gallery at 90 Cheapside in the City of London. There it was displayed with another fourteen portraits of contemporary painters and engravers connected with Boydell's firm.

Linked publicationsback to top

Events of 1784back to top

Current affairs

Theatre proprietor and postal reformer John Palmer runs the first mail coach in England, between Bristol and London. A three day journey is now completed in 16 hours.
Commutation Act reduces punitive duties on tea to combat smuggling.

Art and science

Aeronaut James Sadler makes the first hot air balloon flight in Britain, from Oxford to Woodeaton.
Chemist Henry Cavendish's paper Experiments on Air reveals the composition of water.
Writer Samuel Johnson dies.
Joshua Reynolds succeeds Allan Ramsay as Painter to the King.

International

Thomas Jefferson's Land Ordinance passed by the United States' Continental Congress, coming into effect the following year. It allows for the sale of land in the largely unmapped west of the country.
Britain receives its first bales of cotton from the United States since before the War of American Independence.
William Pitt's India Act creates a Board of Control to oversee the affairs of the British East India Company and centralise power.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.