John Hough

1 portrait by Simon Digby

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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John Hough

by Simon Digby
watercolour on vellum, 1720 or before
3 1/8 in. x 2 1/2 in. (79 mm x 64 mm) oval
Given by Winchester Museums and Library Committee, 1950
Primary Collection
NPG 3685

Sitterback to top

  • John Hough (1651-1743), Bishop of Worcester (1717). Sitter in 4 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Simon Digby (circa 1645-1720), Bishop of Elphin and painter. Artist or producer of 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

The identification as Bishop Hough rests on the inscription on the reverse of the portrait as well as on comparison with other portraits by Digby and of the sitter. Simon Digby was the son of Essex Digby, Bishop of Dromore, Ireland. He became chaplain to the Earl of Ossory in 1668, Bishop of Limerick, 1678, and with the help of Bishop Hough, Bishop of Elphin in 1691. Richard Congreve, chaplain to Bishop Hough, noted that 'Dr Digby . . . drew one of the best likenesses of my Lord' and that he had 'a fine art of painting in miniature'. More detailed information on this portrait is available in a National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, John Kerslake's Early Georgian Portraits (1977, out of print).

Linked publicationsback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1720back to top

Current affairs

Collapse of the South Sea Company's shares causes financial crisis in London and ruins many investors. Their rapid inflation and the speculation mania it had encouraged become known as the South Sea Bubble. Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend returns to the Whig ministry. Robert Walpole 1st Earl of Orford, who had resigned in 1717, also returns and restores public credit in December.

Art and science

Entrepreneur Ralph Allen is appointed to take over the Cross and Bye Posts, which manage mail not going via London, leading to his eventual reform of the entire British postal system.
History painter James Thornhill is appointed Serjeant Painter to the King and becomes the first British artist to receive a knighthood.


International

Treaty of the Hague signed between Britain, France, Austria, the Dutch Republic and Spain ending the War of the Quadruple Alliance.
In Lhasa, the Dalai Lama accepts Chinese imperial protection, which lasts until 1911.
Two political parties emerge in Sweden's parliament and become known as the Hats and the Caps.

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