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Sir George Elliot

2 of 5 portraits of Sir George Elliot

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Sir George Elliot

by Sir George Hayter
oil on millboard, 1834
13 3/8 in. x 10 1/2 in. (340 mm x 267 mm)
Given by Queen Mary, 1931
Primary Collection
NPG 2511

Sitterback to top

  • Sir George Elliot (1784-1863), Admiral and politician; MP for Roxburghshire. Sitter in 5 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Sir George Hayter (1792-1871), Portrait and history painter; son of Charles Hayter. Artist or producer associated with 198 portraits, Sitter associated with 16 portraits.

This portraitback to top

In the finished painting Elliot is seated on the Whig side, next to Lord Breadalbane who is addressing the House. As a young man Elliot was present at the battles of Cape St Vincent and the Nile and was highly esteemed by Nelson. At the time this sketch was made in 1834 he was secretary of the admiralty, becoming commander-in-chief at the Cape of Good Hope in 1837.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG 54: The House of Commons, 1833 (finished work)

Linked publicationsback to top

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1834back to top

Current affairs

Sir Robert Peel, Tory, replaces Whig Lord Melbourne as Prime Minister, promising measured reform in a shift from reactionary 'Tory' to more measured 'Conservative' politics (he had voted for the 1832 Reform Act).
Trial of Tolpuddle Martyrs, six labourers transported to Australia after trying to raise funds for workers in need by forming a Friendly Society.

Art and science

Charles Babbage's invents the Analytic Machine. Considered to be the forerunner to the modern computer, the machine was able to make automatic mathematical calculations.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton publishes his hugely popular, but now largely neglected, novel Last Days of Pompeii, set in the Italian city at the time of Mount Vesuvius' eruption in 79AD.

International

Dom Miguel I, King of Portugal, is defeated by his brother Pedro IV, in the Portuguese civil war.
Slavery is abolished in the British dominions, although slaves still working are indentured to their former owners in an 'apprenticeship' system; the philanthropist Joseph Sturge was a prominent critic of the policy, which was abolished in 1838. Whilst slave owners received compensation, slaves received nothing.

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