'Harpyes defiling the feast' (George Tierney; George Shuckburgh; Joseph Jekyll)

1 portrait of George Tierney

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© National Portrait Gallery, London

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'Harpyes defiling the feast' (George Tierney; George Shuckburgh; Joseph Jekyll)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 7 May 1799
10 1/4 in. x 7 3/4 in. (260 mm x 197 mm) plate size; 12 1/4 in. x 9 1/8 in. (310 mm x 232 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12688

Sittersback to top

Artistsback to top

  • James Gillray (1756-1815), Caricaturist. Artist or producer associated with 887 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.
  • Hannah Humphrey (circa 1745-1818), Publisher and printseller. Artist or producer associated with 720 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D12685: 'New Pantheon of Democratic Mythology' (from same series as)
  • NPG D12686: Charles James Fox ('Hercules reposing') (from same series as)
  • NPG D12687: George Walpole ('Mars') (from same series as)
  • NPG D12689: John Nicolls ('Cupid') (from same series as)
  • NPG D12690: 'The twin stars, Castor & Pollux' (George Barclay?; Charles Sturt?) (from same series as)
  • NPG D12691: Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford ('The affrighted centaur, & lion Britanique') (from same series as)

Placesback to top

Events of 1799back to top

Current affairs

The Prince of Wales is reconciled with his secret wife Maria Fitzherbert.
Corresponding Societies Act is passed prohibiting certain named political groups including the radical London Corresponding Society and the United Irishmen.

Art and science

The Swiss artist Henry Fuseli, resident in England since 1778, is appointed Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy.
The conservative educator Hannah More publishes her Strictures on Female Education which criticised demands for women's rights while proposing an active role for them within religious and moral movements.

International

Successful defence of Acre in the Levant is led by William Sidney Smith.
British expedition to Holland, led by General Ralph Abercromby, ends in evacuation after allies defeated at Battle of Bergen-op-Zoom.
Fall of the ruling Directory in France. Napoleon seizes power.
The Rosetta Stone is discovered in Egypt.

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