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King William IV

(1765-1837), Reigned 1830-37

Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 175 portraits
William IV ruled from 1830-37. He succeeded to the throne just as the campaign for Parliamentary reform reached its peak. He reluctantly agreed to create the extra Whig peers needed to pass the Reform Act in 1832, although his proved unnecessary when the Tories withdrew their opposition to the Act. On his death, Victoria his niece became queen. Despite having ten illegitimate children from his twenty-year relationship with Mrs Jordan, William had no heir from his official marriage to Princess Adelaide.

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King William IV, by Richard Cosway - NPG L176

King William IV

by Richard Cosway
watercolour on ivory, circa 1789
NPG L176

King William IV, by Sir Martin Archer Shee - NPG 2199

King William IV

by Sir Martin Archer Shee
oil on canvas, circa 1800
On display in Room 15 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 2199

King William IV, after a drawing by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey - NPG 316a(141)

King William IV

after a drawing by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey
tracing, 1837, based on a work of 1830
NPG 316a(141)

King William IV, by and published by Valentine Green, after  Benjamin West - NPG D33544

King William IV

by and published by Valentine Green, after Benjamin West
mezzotint, published 1 February 1780
NPG D33544

King William IV, published for London Magazine - NPG D14944

King William IV

published for London Magazine
line engraving, published January 1781
NPG D14944

King William IV, by Francesco Bartolozzi, and by  Paul Sandby, published by  Antonio Cesare Poggi, after  Benjamin West - NPG D33545

King William IV

by Francesco Bartolozzi, and by Paul Sandby, published by Antonio Cesare Poggi, after Benjamin West
line and stipple engraving and aquatint, published 15 January 1782
NPG D33545

King William IV and an unknown woman ('Wouski'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12290

King William IV and an unknown woman ('Wouski')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 23 January 1788
NPG D12290

King William IV, by and published by Edmund Scott, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence, after  John Charles Lochée - NPG D15058

King William IV

by and published by Edmund Scott, after Sir Thomas Lawrence, after John Charles Lochée
stipple, published 7 April 1788
NPG D15058

King William IV, by and published by Charles Knight, after  John Hoppner - NPG D33546

King William IV

by and published by Charles Knight, after John Hoppner
stipple engraving, 1790s
NPG D33546

'Polly Finch and the royal sailor' (King William IV), published by Archibald Hamilton Jr - NPG D16058

'Polly Finch and the royal sailor' (King William IV)

published by Archibald Hamilton Jr
etching, published 1 February 1790
NPG D16058

King William IV ('Nauticus'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12394

King William IV ('Nauticus')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 11 October 1791
NPG D12394

'The devil to pay; - the wife metamorphos'd, or Neptune reposing, after fording the Jordan', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13006

'The devil to pay; - the wife metamorphos'd, or Neptune reposing, after fording the Jordan'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 October 1791
NPG D13006

'Lubber's-hole, - alias - the crack'd Jordan' Dorothy Jordan; King William IV), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13007

'Lubber's-hole, - alias - the crack'd Jordan' Dorothy Jordan; King William IV)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 November 1791
NPG D13007

King William IV, after Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D33549

King William IV

after Sir Thomas Lawrence
photograph of painting, (1792-1793)
NPG D33549

'Vices overlook'd in the new proclamation', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12456

'Vices overlook'd in the new proclamation'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 May 1792
NPG D12456

King William IV, published by Robert Laurie, published by  James Whittle - NPG D9216

King William IV

published by Robert Laurie, published by James Whittle
mezzotint, published 12 May 1794
NPG D9216

King William IV ('Naval eloquence'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D10852

King William IV ('Naval eloquence')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
etching, published 6 January 1795
NPG D10852

King William IV ('A true British tar'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12526

King William IV ('A true British tar')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 28 May 1795
NPG D12526

'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12579

'Promis'd horrors of the French invasion, - or - forcible reasons for negotiating a regicide peace'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 October 1796
NPG D12579

'La promenade en famille - a sketch from life', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12611

'La promenade en famille - a sketch from life'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 23 April 1797
NPG D12611

'The bridal night', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12613

'The bridal night'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, published 18 May 1797
NPG D12613

'The wedding night', by Isaac Cruikshank, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D15555

'The wedding night'

by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 May 1797
NPG D15555

King William IV when Duke of Clarence, by John Chapman, after  Unknown artist - NPG D4425

King William IV when Duke of Clarence

by John Chapman, after Unknown artist
stipple engraving, published 1 June 1800
NPG D4425

King William IV, by James Ward, after  Sir Martin Archer Shee - NPG D33547

King William IV

by James Ward, after Sir Martin Archer Shee
mezzotint, 1801
NPG D33547

King William IV, by James Ward, after  Sir Martin Archer Shee - NPG D10711

King William IV

by James Ward, after Sir Martin Archer Shee
mezzotint, 1801
NPG D10711

King William IV ('An illustrious character'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12718

King William IV ('An illustrious character')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 November 1802
NPG D12718

King William IV ('The royal lounger'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12831

King William IV ('The royal lounger')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 26 June 1804
NPG D12831

'L'assemblée nationale: - or - grand cooperation meeting at St Ann's Hill', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13107

'L'assemblée nationale: - or - grand cooperation meeting at St Ann's Hill'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 18 June 1804
NPG D13107

'End of the Irish farce of Catholic Emancipation', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13110

'End of the Irish farce of Catholic Emancipation'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 17 May 1805
NPG D13110

'Westminster conscripts under the training act', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12872

'Westminster conscripts under the training act'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 1 September 1806
NPG D12872

King William IV, by William James Ward, published by  William Sams, after  Abraham Wivell - NPG D10853

King William IV

by William James Ward, published by William Sams, after Abraham Wivell
mezzotint, published 1 June 1827
NPG D10853

'The Silver Oar versus The White Wand or The Helmsman', by Charles Williams, published by  John Fairburn - NPG D48719

'The Silver Oar versus The White Wand or The Helmsman'

by Charles Williams, published by John Fairburn
hand-coloured etching, published August 1828
NPG D48719

King William IV, by William Holl Sr, published by  William Sams, after  Abraham Wivell - NPG D33548

King William IV

by William Holl Sr, published by William Sams, after Abraham Wivell
stipple engraving, published March 1829
NPG D33548

'How to Keep One's Place. AD. 1833.', by William Heath, published by  Thomas McLean - NPG D48738

'How to Keep One's Place. AD. 1833.'

by William Heath, published by Thomas McLean
hand-coloured etching, published March 1829
NPG D48738

Anticipation, by Robert Seymour, published by  Thomas McLean - NPG D48793

Anticipation

by Robert Seymour, published by Thomas McLean
hand-coloured lithograph, published 20 November 1829
NPG D48793

King William IV, by and published by William Skelton - NPG D33551

King William IV

by and published by William Skelton
line engraving, 1830 or after (originally published 1 January 1821)
NPG D33551

King William IV, by David Lucas, published by  Mary Parkes, published by and after  Robert Bowyer - NPG D33553

King William IV

by David Lucas, published by Mary Parkes, published by and after Robert Bowyer
mezzotint, published 1830
NPG D33553

The Gheber, Worshipping the Rising Sun (Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; King William IV), by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by  Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by  Thomas McLean - NPG D41006

The Gheber, Worshipping the Rising Sun (Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; King William IV)

by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by Thomas McLean
lithograph, published 6 July 1830
NPG D41006

A Horse Marine, by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by  Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by  Thomas McLean - NPG D41013

A Horse Marine

by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by Thomas McLean
lithograph, published 12 March 1830
NPG D41013

Resignation and Fortitude. Or the Gold Stick (King William IV; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover), by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by  Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by  Thomas McLean - NPG D41014

Resignation and Fortitude. Or the Gold Stick (King William IV; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover)

by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Charles Etienne Pierre Motte, published by Thomas McLean
lithograph, published 14 August 1830
NPG D41014

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