John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

1 portrait of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

by Émile Desmaisons, printed by Lemercier Bernard et Cie, published by A.H. & C.E. Baily
lithograph, 20 May 1842
17 in. x 13 7/8 in. (432 mm x 352 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1929
Reference Collection
NPG D39925

Sitterback to top

  • John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792-1878), Prime Minister and writer; ex-officio Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Sitter associated with 249 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • A.H. & C.E. Baily (active 1842), Printsellers. Artist or producer associated with 10 portraits.
  • Émile Desmaisons (1812-1880), Lithographer. Artist or producer associated with 27 portraits.
  • Lemercier Bernard et Cie (active 1837-1868), Printer. Artist or producer associated with 7 portraits.

Placesback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1842back to top

Current affairs

Edwin Chadwick publishes his damning report, Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Poor, which details the shocking living conditions of the urban poor and prompts government to take a new interest in public health issues.
A year-long depression and the rejection of the Chartist petition leads to riots, with workers striking in the Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and parts of Scotland.

Art and science

Mudie's Lending Library opens, becoming one of the largest circulating libraries in the period. Made popular by the otherwise high cost of books, it exerts a great influence over literature; both by maintaining the more costly 'three decker' novel structure, and acting as moral censor.
Richard Owen, the English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist, coins the term 'dinosaur', combining the Greek words for 'formidable' and 'reptile'.

International

Treaty of Nanjing, which allows China to trade with Britain and lends Hong Kong to the British crown for 150 years. In Afghanistan, the Anglo-Afghan war ends as the British abandon Kabul, withdrawing to India and losing most of their garrison force in the operation with only one member, Dr William Brydon, surviving.

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