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Thomas Paine

(1737-1809), Author of 'The Rights of Man'

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter in 12 portraits
Radical political writer Thomas Paine emigrated to America in 1774 and published Common Sense (1776), a demand for American independence. Returning to Europe in 1787, and in response to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France, he published his most famous work, The Rights of Man, 1791-2, which advocated the constitutional guarantee of the civil rights of individuals. Paine fled to France and was briefly elected to the French National Convention. Imprisoned for opposing the execution of Louis XVI in 1793, he returned to America in 1802. His promotion of the concept of human rights influenced the American Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

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Thomas Paine, by Laurent Dabos - NPG 6805

Thomas Paine

by Laurent Dabos
oil on canvas, circa 1791
On display in Room 12 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 6805

Thomas Paine, copy by Auguste Millière, after an engraving by William Sharp, after George Romney - NPG 897

Thomas Paine

copy by Auguste Millière, after an engraving by William Sharp, after George Romney
oil on canvas, circa 1876, based on a work of 1792
NPG 897

'The repeal of the test act a vision', by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell - NPG D12254

'The repeal of the test act a vision'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 16 February 1790
NPG D12254

Thomas Paine, by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12420

Thomas Paine

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 23 May 1791
NPG D12420

Thomas Paine ('Loyalty against levelling'), by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell - NPG D9890

Thomas Paine ('Loyalty against levelling')

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 15 December 1792
NPG D9890

'Tom Paine's nightly pest' (Charles James Fox; Thomas Paine; Joseph Priestley), by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12464

'Tom Paine's nightly pest' (Charles James Fox; Thomas Paine; Joseph Priestley)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 10 December 1792
NPG D12464

Thomas Paine, by William Sharp, after George Romney - NPG D1364

Thomas Paine

by William Sharp, after George Romney
engraving, 1793
NPG D1364

Thomas Paine, by and published by William Sharp, after George Romney - NPG D15322

Thomas Paine

by and published by William Sharp, after George Romney
engraving, published 20 April 1793
NPG D15322

'New morality; - or - the promis'd installment of the high-priest of the Theophilanthropes, with the homage of Leviathan and his suite', by James Gillray, published by John Wright - NPG D13093

'New morality; - or - the promis'd installment of the high-priest of the Theophilanthropes, with the homage of Leviathan and his suite'

by James Gillray, published by John Wright
etching, published 1 August 1798
NPG D13093

'New morality; - or - the promis'd installment of the high-priest of the Theophilanthropes, with the homage of Leviathan and his suite', by James Gillray, published by John Wright - NPG D13094

'New morality; - or - the promis'd installment of the high-priest of the Theophilanthropes, with the homage of Leviathan and his suite'

by James Gillray, published by John Wright
hand-coloured etching, published 1 August 1798
NPG D13094

Thomas Paine, by John Kay, after George Romney - NPG D45866

Thomas Paine

by John Kay, after George Romney
etching, 1801
NPG D45866

Thomas Paine, by James Godby, after Unknown artist - NPG D5455

Thomas Paine

by James Godby, after Unknown artist
stipple engraving, published 21 May 1805
NPG D5455

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