A Cognocenti Contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique (Emma Hamilton; Horatio Nelson; Sir William Hamilton)

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© National Portrait Gallery, London

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A Cognocenti Contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique (Emma Hamilton; Horatio Nelson; Sir William Hamilton)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 11 February 1801
14 5/8 in. x 10 3/4 in. (373 mm x 274 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12755

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 D35272: A Cognocenti contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique (Emma Hamilton; Horatio Nelson; Sir William Hamilton) (from same plate)

Placesback to top

Events of 1801back to top

Current affairs

Wlliam Pitt and Lord Castlereagh both resign over the King's refusal to permit the introduction of Catholic emancipation. Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth succeeds Pitt as Prime Minister.
Census records 9 million people living in England and Wales, 5.2 million in Ireland and 1.6 million in Scotland.

Art and science

Radical writer, Amelia Opie publishes her best known novel The Father and the Daughter. Said to have reduced Walter Scott to tears, it went on to enjoy success as an opera and a play.

International

Other members of the First Coalition fighting France with Britain agree to a humiliating peace treaty and Britain fights on alone.
A successful campaign is fought against the French army marooned in Egypt. General Sir Ralph Abercromby leads the troops but is killed in action.
Thomas Jefferson is elected President of the United States.

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J. J. Caudle

06 September 2016, 13:17

A typo issue, minor but still relevant. Your digital catalogue should have "A Cognocenti Contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique" (however conformed to your title capitalization rules)...it currently reads, "A cognocenti contemplating ye **ceauties** of ye **cntique**".
Many thanks.