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Joseph Priestley

1 of 28 portraits of Joseph Priestley

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Joseph Priestley

by Ellen Sharples, probably after James Sharples
pastel, circa 1797
9 1/2 in. x 7 3/8 in. (243 mm x 187 mm)
Given by James Yates, 1864
Primary Collection
NPG 175

Sitterback to top

  • Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), Theologian and scientist. Sitter in 28 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • Ellen Sharples (1769-1849), Artist. Artist or producer associated with 4 portraits.
  • James Sharples (1751?-1811), Artist. Artist or producer associated with 3 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Drawn shortly after Priestley's arrival in America.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG 2904: Joseph Priestley (variant version)

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Hackmann, W.D., Apples and Atoms: Portraits of Scientists from Newton to Rutherford, 1986, p. 35
  • Hart-Davis, Adam, Chain Reactions, 2000, p. 53
  • Ingamells, John, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, 2004, p. 386
  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 505
  • Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 175

Events of 1797back to top

Current affairs

The Anti-Jacobin periodical makes its debut followed by The Anti-Jacobin Review the year after. Edited by William Gifford, it acted as a Tory mouthpiece against the 'New Morality' associated with republicanism.
Bank crisis results in the temporary suspension of payments by the Bank of England leading to a nationwide currency shortage.

Art and science

Robert Southey, later Poet Laureate, publishes his collected Poems, exploring contemporary interest in mythology and non-European cultures.
Ann Radcliffe publishes her popular gothic novel The Italian. One of the most imaginative novelists of the period, she helped introduce readers to the romantic sense of the supernatural.

International

Battle of Cape St Vincent. Admiral John Jervis leads the fleet which defeat the Spanish.
Failure of a small French invasion in Pembrokeshire.
Naval mutinies at Spithead and Nore.
Attack on the Canary Islands in which Rear-Admiral Nelson loses an arm.

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