Fictitious portrait called Lady Jane Grey

1 portrait by John Graham

© 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

Fictitious portrait called Lady Jane Grey

by George Dawe, after John Graham
hand-coloured mezzotint, circa 1795
17 1/2 in. x 11 7/8 in. (443 mm x 303 mm) paper size
Purchased with help from the Friends of the National Libraries and the Pilgrim Trust, 1966
Reference Collection
NPG D11096

Sitterback to top

Artistsback to top

  • George Dawe (1781-1829), History and portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 45 portraits.
  • John Graham (1755-1817), Painter and teacher of art. Artist or producer associated with 11 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

John Graham produced a series of paintings of tragic heroines on the eve of their execution, the others being Anne Boleyn and Mary, Queen of Scots. Here, Lady Jane is shown in the Tower of London, where she was held from July 1553 until her execution in February 1554. She is shown scratching the names of two of the fathers of the Protestant Reformation, John Wycliffe and Martin Luther, into her cell wall. The source of the laudatory verse underneath is as yet unidentified.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D24195: Queen Elizabeth I (When Princess) (based on same portrait)

Events of 1795back to top

Current affairs

George, Prince of Wales is forced to marry Caroline Amelia Elizabeth of Brunswick, despite having secretly married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785.
Widespread rioting prompts the introduction of the Speenhamland system of welfare supplements which are linked to the price of bread.
Treasonable Practices Act is passed against open criticism of government.

Art and science

The MP Matthew Gregory 'Monk' Lewis publishes his notorious gothic novel The Monk to success and scandal because of its immoral content.
Mungo Park explores the course of the River Niger.

International

Wolfe Tone, founder of The Society of United Irishmen, departs for America after being implicated in high treason in Ireland. Exiled in Philadelphia, he soon leaves for France to ask revolutionaries for assistance.
Joseph Haydn composes the English Canzonettas during his second stay in London.

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.