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John Horne Tooke

(1736-1812), Radical politician; MP and philologist

Mid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 49 portraits
The radical politician Horne Tooke was an ardent campaigner for liberty and parliamentary reform. Born simply John Horne, he added ‘Tooke’ to his name in 1782 after living with William Tooke and becoming heir to William’s wealth, built through co-owning a plantation in Grenada worked by enslaved Africans. Horne Tooke had little interest in stopping the enslavement and trading of Africans, yet when it came to the issue of American Independence he was sympathetic to the demands stating ‘the people of America are enslaved’. He helped establish 'The Society for Supporting the Bill of Rights', and was instrumental in organising the distribution of Thomas Paine's The Rights of Man in 1791. In 1794 he was wrongly accused of planning an uprising and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

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John Glynn; John Wilkes; John Horne Tooke, by Richard Houston, published by  Robert Sayer, published by  John Smith of Cheapside - NPG D37522

John Glynn; John Wilkes; John Horne Tooke

by Richard Houston, published by Robert Sayer, published by John Smith of Cheapside
mezzotint, published 1769
NPG D37522

John Horne Tooke, by Anker Smith, after  Thomas Hardy - NPG D6960

John Horne Tooke

by Anker Smith, after Thomas Hardy
line engraving, published 1791
NPG D6960

'A Birmingham toast, as given on the 14th of July, by the - Revolution Society', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D13075

'A Birmingham toast, as given on the 14th of July, by the - Revolution Society'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 23 July 1791
NPG D13075

John Horne Tooke, by Anker Smith, after  Thomas Hardy - NPG D20219

John Horne Tooke

by Anker Smith, after Thomas Hardy
line engraving, published 1791
NPG D20219

'Blue and buff charity; - or - the patriarch of the Greek clergy applying for relief', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13081

'Blue and buff charity; - or - the patriarch of the Greek clergy applying for relief'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 12 June 1793
NPG D13081

John Horne Tooke, after Unknown artist - NPG D6961

John Horne Tooke

after Unknown artist
mezzotint, published 1795
NPG D6961

'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

'Search-night; - or - state-watchmen mistaking honest-men for conspirators', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12633

'Search-night; - or - state-watchmen mistaking honest-men for conspirators'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 March 1798
NPG D12633

John Horne Tooke ('Président d'Administration Municipale'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12639

John Horne Tooke ('Président d'Administration Municipale')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple and etching, published 18 April 1798
NPG D12639

John Horne Tooke ('Président d'Administration Municipale'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12640

John Horne Tooke ('Président d'Administration Municipale')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple and etching, published 18 April 1798
NPG D12640

'Two pair of portraits', by James Gillray, published by  John Wright - NPG D12669

'Two pair of portraits'

by James Gillray, published by John Wright
hand-coloured etching and engraving, published 1 December 1798
NPG D12669

'Meeting of the monied interest', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12672

'Meeting of the monied interest'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 13 December 1798
NPG D12672

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