May Day in 1837
62 of 159 portraits of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
May Day in 1837
by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Alfred Ducôte, published by Thomas McLean
lithograph, published 13 May 1837
11 3/8 in. x 16 3/4 in. (289 mm x 427 mm) paper size
Acquired, before 1900
Reference Collection
NPG D41417
Artistsback to top
- John ('HB') Doyle (1797-1868), 'HB'; caricaturist. Artist or producer associated with 746 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
- Alfred Ducôte (active 1830-1840), Lithographer and lithographic printer. Artist or producer associated with 462 portraits.
- Thomas McLean (1788-1875), Publisher and dealer. Artist or producer associated with 1058 portraits.
Sittersback to top
- John Bull (active 1712-present), Fictitious epitomist of Englishness and British imperialism. Sitter associated with 151 portraits. Identify
- Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Bt (1770-1844), Parliamentary reformer. Sitter associated with 135 portraits. Identify
- George William Frederick Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle (1802-1864), Viceroy of Ireland. Sitter associated with 79 portraits. Identify
- William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1779-1848), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 159 portraits. Identify
- Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle of Brandon (1790-1866), Whig politician; Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sitter in 85 portraits. Identify
- Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847), Irish politician; MP for Dublin City and Cork County. Sitter associated with 230 portraits. Identify
- John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792-1878), Prime Minister and writer; ex-officio Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Sitter associated with 249 portraits. Identify
- King William IV (1765-1837), Reigned 1830-37. Sitter associated with 175 portraits. Identify
Events of 1837back to top
Current affairs
The controversial monarch William IV dies of pneumonia in June leaving no legitimate heirs, and is succeeded to the throne by his niece Victoria, one month after her eighteenth birthday.The Registration Act of Births, Marriages and Deaths makes it compulsory for all births, marriages and deaths to be registered at a Registry Office.
Art and science
Dickens's second novel Oliver Twist is serialised in Bentley's Magazine. The story of the orphan Oliver is an attack on the Poor Law Amendment Acts (1834), a highly contentious piece of legislation which abolished outdoor relief, effectively increasing entry in the workhouse. The novel, famously made into a musical in 1968, marks Dickens as an outspoken social critic as well as a highly popular and commercial writer.International
The Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin is killed in a duel with Baron Georges d'Anthès. Considered the founder of modern Russian literature, Pushkin blended Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian and was the first Russian writer to use everyday speech in his poetry. His works include Eugene Onegin.Comments back to top
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