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John Thelwall

(1764-1834), Reformer and elocutionist

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter in 12 portraits
Born in Covent Garden the son of a silk merchant, the radical political writer and orator John Thelwall was largely self-educated. In 1792, he co-founded of the London Corresponding Society, which campaigned for political reform and was one of the members who were tried for treason and acquitted in 1794. He responded to the trial with the publication of The Natural and Constitutional Right of Britons to Annual Parliaments, Universal Suffrage, and the Freedom of Popular Association, 1795. The society was outlawed in 1799 and Thelwall became an elocution teacher.

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John Thelwall, attributed to John Hazlitt - NPG 2163

John Thelwall

attributed to John Hazlitt
oil on canvas, circa 1800-1805
NPG 2163

John Thelwall, by Henry James Richter - NPG D38540

John Thelwall

by Henry James Richter
stipple engraving, published 8 December 1794
NPG D38540

'Copenhagen house', by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12546

'Copenhagen house'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 November 1795
NPG D12546

'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

'End of the Irish invasion; - or - the destruction of the French armada', by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12592

'End of the Irish invasion; - or - the destruction of the French armada'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 January 1797
NPG D12592

'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!', by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12598

'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 February 1797
NPG D12598

'The delegates in council or beggars on horseback', by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores - NPG D15627

'The delegates in council or beggars on horseback'

by Isaac Cruikshank, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 9 June 1797
NPG D15627

'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

'A charm for a democracy, reviewed, analysed, & destroyed Jany 1st 1799 to the confusion of its affiliated friends', by Thomas Rowlandson, published by James Whittle - NPG D12677

'A charm for a democracy, reviewed, analysed, & destroyed Jany 1st 1799 to the confusion of its affiliated friends'

by Thomas Rowlandson, published by James Whittle
hand-coloured etching, published 1 February 1799
NPG D12677

Web image not currently available

John Thelwall

by William Ridley
stipple engraving, published circa 1794
NPG D15640

Web image not currently available

'End of the Irish invasion; - or - the destruction of the French armada'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
etching and aquatint, published 20 January 1797
NPG D15304

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