Sir Samuel Romilly
1 portrait
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- Extended Catalogue Entry
Sir Samuel Romilly
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
oil on canvas, circa 1806-1810
29 1/2 in. x 24 1/2 in. (749 mm x 622 mm)
Lent by Tate Gallery, 1954
Primary Collection
NPG L268
Sitterback to top
- Sir Samuel Romilly (1757-1818), Solicitor-General and law reformer. Sitter in 8 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), Portrait painter, collector and President of the Royal Academy. Artist or producer associated with 698 portraits, Sitter in 25 portraits.
This portraitback to top
Lawrence's portrait probably dates to 1806 when Romilly was appointed Solicitor General in Grenville's coalition 'Ministry of All the Talents'. He set about reforming Britain's cruel and illogical punishment system and was instrumental in abolishing the death penalty for trivial criminal offences.
Related worksback to top
- NPG D17721: Sir Samuel Romilly (source portrait)
- NPG D17738: Sir Samuel Romilly (source portrait)
- NPG D39860: Sir Samuel Romilly (source portrait)
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 531
- Walker, Richard, Regency Portraits, 1985, p. 423
Events of 1806back to top
Current affairs
William Pitt dies in January and his lifelong opponent Charles James Fox dies in September. Pitt is succeeded by William Wyndham, Baron Grenville, who forms the 'Ministry of all the Talents' coalition .Prince of Wales instigates the 'Delicate Investigation'; a Parliamentary enquiry into claims that his wife Caroline had an illegitimate child.
Art and science
John Constable embarks on a formative tour of the Lakes and makes landscape studies of the Langdale Pikes and Helvellyn.Turner exhibits his Thames views to acclaim at his own London gallery.
Humphrey Davy discovers the elements potassium and sodium by passing an electrical current through molten compounds.
International
Soprano Angelica Catalani arrives from Italy to make her London debut, amazing audiences with her showpiece arias.Napoleon turns his forces east against Austria, Russia and Prussia and enjoys a wave of French victories.
British attack on Buenos Aires under General William Beresford fails.
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