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William Pitt

(1759-1806), Prime Minister

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 174 portraits
Pitt dominated Parliament as Tory Prime Minister from 1783 to 1801 and 1804 to 1806. He restructured Britain's finances after the American Revolution and reformed the government of India in 1784. Pitt regarded the French Revolution as a foreign issue but began to worry that British radicals were in touch with French revolutionaries. After France declared war in 1793, he clamped down on domestic dissent with the first series of 'gagging acts'. In 1800 he arranged a Parliamentary union with Ireland but resigned in 1801 over George III's opposition to Catholics sitting in Parliament. Pitt's rivalry with Fox, his political and temperamental opposite, dominated Parliament for over twenty years.

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William Pitt, studio of John Hoppner - NPG L267

William Pitt

studio of John Hoppner
oil on canvas, circa 1805 or after
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L267

William Pitt, by Dominick Andrew Olivieri, after  Joseph Nollekens - NPG 1240

William Pitt

by Dominick Andrew Olivieri, after Joseph Nollekens
marble bust, 1823, based on a work of 1806
NPG 1240

William Pitt, by Joseph Nollekens - NPG 120

William Pitt

by Joseph Nollekens
marble bust, 1808
On display in Room 15 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 120

William Pitt, by Unknown artist - NPG D7046

William Pitt

by Unknown artist
plaster cast of seal, late 18th-early 19th century
NPG D7046

William Pitt, after Unknown artist - NPG D16358

William Pitt

after Unknown artist
etching, late 18th century
NPG D16358

'Aside he turn'd for envy, yet with jealous leer malign, eyd them askance', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12302

'Aside he turn'd for envy, yet with jealous leer malign, eyd them askance'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 December 1782
NPG D12302

'Jove in his chair', by James Gillray, published by  Elizabeth d'Achery - NPG D12315

'Jove in his chair'

by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 11 September 1782
NPG D12315

'Cicero in Catilinam', by James Sayers, published by  Thomas Cornell - NPG D12236

'Cicero in Catilinam'

by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching, published 17 March 1785
NPG D12236

'Westminster school. or - Dr Busby settling accounts with Master-Billy and his playmates', by James Gillray, published by  James Ridgway - NPG D12993

'Westminster school. or - Dr Busby settling accounts with Master-Billy and his playmates'

by James Gillray, published by James Ridgway
hand-coloured etching, published 4 February 1785
NPG D12993

'A new way to pay the National-Debt', by James Gillray, published by  William Holland - NPG D13052

'A new way to pay the National-Debt'

by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching and engraving, published 21 April 1786
NPG D13052

'Anticipation, or the approaching fate of the French Commercial Treaty', by James Gillray, published by  William Holland - NPG D12356

'Anticipation, or the approaching fate of the French Commercial Treaty'

by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching, published 1787?
NPG D12356

William Pitt ('The Minister endeavouring to eke out Dr Pr*ty***n's bisho-prick'), by James Gillray, published by  R. Phillips - NPG D12357

William Pitt ('The Minister endeavouring to eke out Dr Pr*ty***n's bisho-prick')

by James Gillray, published by R. Phillips
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published March 1787
NPG D12357

'The board of controul, or the blessings of a Scotch dictator', by James Gillray, published by  R. Phillips - NPG D12359

'The board of controul, or the blessings of a Scotch dictator'

by James Gillray, published by R. Phillips
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 March 1787
NPG D12359

'The Prince at Grasse', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12362

'The Prince at Grasse'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12362

'The Prince in Clover', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12363

'The Prince in Clover'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12363

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