Sir Richard Steele
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Richard Steele
by John Simon, sold by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, 1712-1713 (1711)
13 7/8 in. x 9 7/8 in. (354 mm x 251 mm) plate size; 14 1/8 in. x 10 1/4 in. (360 mm x 260 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1944
Reference Collection
NPG D11511
Artistsback to top
- John Simon (1675-1751), Mezzotint engraver. Artist or producer associated with 213 portraits.
- Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (1646-1723), Portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 1689 portraits, Sitter associated with 30 portraits.
- John Smith (1652-1743), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 1181 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.
Related worksback to top
- NPG 3227: Sir Richard Steele (after)
- NPG D19535: Sir Richard Steele (from same plate)
- NPG D4297: Sir Richard Steele (from same plate)
- NPG D42157: Sir Richard Steele (from same plate)
Events of 1712back to top
Current affairs
Whig MP, Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford is found guilty by Parliament of 'a high breach of trust and notorious corruption', over reserving army forage contracts for banker, Robert Mann, and imprisoned in the Tower. Walpole would later become the first British Prime Minister in all but name in 1721.Art and science
Mock epic poem, The Rape of the Lock, by satirical poet Alexander Pope is first published.Ironmonger Thomas Newcomen demonstrates his invention of the atmospheric steam engine in London.
Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery, commissions a mechanical solar system model from mechanic John Rowley who names it an orrery.
International
Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford and John Robinson, bishop of Bristol, are appointed plenipotentiaries to the Utrecht peace congress. Foundations for peace between Britain and France, were based on preliminary agreements previously negotiated in London and Paris, the details of which were unbeknownst to the plenipotentiaries or Britain's allies.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.