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William Ewart Gladstone

(1809-1898), Prime Minister and writer; Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery

Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 324 portraits
Famous as the ‘grand old man’ of British politics; Gladstone was leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister in four governments from 1868 to 1894. Gladstone was responsible for major reforms in every sphere of national life, and for the development of imperial foreign policy. He divided the party on the issue of Irish Home Rule and stamped his moral authority on the politics of his time. Gladstone’s father, John Gladstone was one of the largest owners of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and this wealth supported Gladstone’s early career in politics. As a politician, Gladstone supported the proposal to compensate slave-owners for the loss of their ‘property’ after slavery was abolished and the introduction of the apprenticeship system that required newly freed Africans to continue working for their masters for four to six years.

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William Ewart Gladstone, by John Jabez Edwin Mayall - NPG Ax8532

William Ewart Gladstone

by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
albumen carte-de-visite, 23 July 1861
NPG Ax8532

William Ewart Gladstone, by John Jabez Edwin Mayall - NPG x5968

William Ewart Gladstone

by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
albumen print, 23 July 1861
NPG x5968

William Ewart Gladstone, by Thomas Richard Williams, for and published by  Mason & Co (Robert Hindry Mason) - NPG x5950

William Ewart Gladstone

by Thomas Richard Williams, for and published by Mason & Co (Robert Hindry Mason)
albumen carte-de-visite, 22 July 1861
NPG x5950

William Ewart Gladstone, by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, after  Thomas Richard Williams - NPG x45199

William Ewart Gladstone

by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, after Thomas Richard Williams
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s (22 July 1861)
NPG x45199

William Ewart Gladstone, by John Jabez Edwin Mayall - NPG x16479

William Ewart Gladstone

by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
albumen carte-de-visite, 23 July 1861
NPG x16479

William Ewart Gladstone, by Thomas Richard Williams, for and published by  Mason & Co (Robert Hindry Mason) - NPG Ax9520

William Ewart Gladstone

by Thomas Richard Williams, for and published by Mason & Co (Robert Hindry Mason)
albumen carte-de-visite, 22 July 1861
NPG Ax9520

William Ewart Gladstone, by John Jabez Edwin Mayall - NPG x197110

William Ewart Gladstone

by John Jabez Edwin Mayall
albumen carte-de-visite, 23 July 1861
NPG x197110

William Ewart Gladstone, by Window & Bridge - NPG Ax16275

William Ewart Gladstone

by Window & Bridge
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax16275

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Walker & Sons - NPG x32943

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862
NPG x32943

William Ewart Gladstone, by Window & Bridge - NPG x32941

William Ewart Gladstone

by Window & Bridge
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG x32941

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Walker & Sons - NPG Ax46253

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax46253

William Ewart Gladstone, by Window & Bridge - NPG Ax68083

William Ewart Gladstone

by Window & Bridge
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax68083

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Walker & Sons - NPG Ax68084

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax68084

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Walker & Sons - NPG Ax9902

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1866
NPG Ax9902

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Walker & Sons - NPG x29292

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Walker & Sons
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862
NPG x29292

William Ewart Gladstone, by William Elliott Debenham - NPG Ax16392

William Ewart Gladstone

by William Elliott Debenham
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax16392

William Ewart Gladstone, by Caldesi, Blanford & Co - NPG x5954

William Ewart Gladstone

by Caldesi, Blanford & Co
albumen carte-de-visite, 9 July 1863
NPG x5954

William Ewart Gladstone, by Caldesi, Blanford & Co - NPG x5952

William Ewart Gladstone

by Caldesi, Blanford & Co
albumen carte-de-visite, 9 July 1863
NPG x5952

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