'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!'
12 of 20 portraits of George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine
'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 February 1797
14 in. x 10 in. (355 mm x 254 mm) plate size; 14 1/4 in. x 10 3/8 in. (363 mm x 263 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12598
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.
Sittersback to top
- Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford (1765-1802), Whig politician and agriculturist. Sitter associated with 39 portraits. Identify
- George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine (1751?-1824), Eccentric. Sitter in 20 portraits. Identify
- Edward Smith Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), Sportsman and patron of horse-racing. Sitter associated with 65 portraits. Identify
- Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), Lord Chancellor. Sitter associated with 69 portraits. Identify
- Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Whig statesman. Sitter associated with 313 portraits. Identify
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 190 portraits. Identify
- James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), Scottish politician and author of 'Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth'. Sitter associated with 37 portraits. Identify
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), Dramatist and parliamentary orator. Sitter associated with 168 portraits. Identify
- Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816), Scientist and politician; MP for Wycombe. Sitter associated with 46 portraits. Identify
- Michael Angelo Taylor (circa 1757-1834), Barrister and politician; MP for Poole, Ilchester and City of Durham. Sitter associated with 35 portraits. Identify
- John Thelwall (1764-1834), Reformer and elocutionist. Sitter in 12 portraits. Identify
- John Horne Tooke (1736-1812), Radical politician; MP and philologist. Sitter associated with 49 portraits. Identify
Linked publicationsback to top
- Schama, Simon, The Face of Britain: The Nation Through its Portraits, 2015-09-15, p. 89
Events of 1797back to top
Current affairs
The Anti-Jacobin periodical makes its debut followed by The Anti-Jacobin Review the year after. Edited by William Gifford, it acted as a Tory mouthpiece against the 'New Morality' associated with republicanism.Bank crisis results in the temporary suspension of payments by the Bank of England leading to a nationwide currency shortage.
Art and science
Robert Southey, later Poet Laureate, publishes his collected Poems, exploring contemporary interest in mythology and non-European cultures.Ann Radcliffe publishes her popular gothic novel The Italian. One of the most imaginative novelists of the period, she helped introduce readers to the romantic sense of the supernatural.
International
Battle of Cape St Vincent. Admiral John Jervis leads the fleet which defeat the Spanish.Failure of a small French invasion in Pembrokeshire.
Naval mutinies at Spithead and Nore.
Attack on the Canary Islands in which Rear-Admiral Nelson loses an arm.
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