King George IV
(1762-1830), Regent 1811-19; Reigned 1820-30Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter associated with 274 portraits
George, Prince of Wales was given no official duties by his father King George III. Jockeying for power, he sought to undermine the King by siding with the Whig opposition led by Charles James Fox. When the King went temporarily insane in 1788 William Pitt, the Tory Prime Minister, proposed a restricted Regency to protect the King's interests. The King's recovery three months later ended the 'Regency Crisis'. The Regency Bill was revived during the King's final illness. George was sworn Regent in 1811 and crowned King in 1820. Vain, self-indulgent and debauched he was, however, a man of exceptional taste and style who is best remembered for his magnificent patronage of the arts.
'Monuments lately discovered on Salisbury Plain'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 15 June 1782
NPG D12309
'The thunderer' (King George IV; Sir Banastre Tarleton, Bt)
by James Gillray, published by Elizabeth d'Achery
hand-coloured etching, published 20 August 1782
NPG D12981
'Paridise regain'd' (King George IV; Charles James Fox; Mary Robinson (née Darby))
probably by James Gillray, published by J. Langham
hand-coloured etching, published 20 February 1783
NPG D12329
'General Blackbeard wounded at the battle of Leadenhall'
by John Boyne, published by Edward Hedges
etching, published 5 January 1784
NPG D12344
by Thomas Rowlandson, published by William Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 29 April 1784
NPG D14836
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1785)
NPG D19589
by James Gillray, published by William Holland
etching, published 5 April 1786
NPG D13051
'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
'Wife & no wife - or - a trip to the Continent'
by James Gillray, published by William Holland
hand-coloured etching, published 27 March 1786
NPG D13066
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12362
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 2 June 1787
NPG D12363
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 16 June 1787
NPG D12365
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 21 May 1787
NPG D12994
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
etching and aquatint, published 29 May 1787
NPG D13061
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 29 May 1787
NPG D13062
by Louis or Lewis Saillar (Sailliar), after Richard Cosway
stipple engraving, published 24 August 1787
NPG D19038
by Samuel William Reynolds, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, (1788-1789)
NPG D9208
by James Sayers, published by Thomas Cornell
etching and soft-ground etching, published 3 March 1788
NPG D9761
by James Gillray
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 19 July 1788
NPG D12385
'The royal joke, - or - black jacks delight'
by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 25 April 1788
NPG D12996
Related People
- Prince Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (brother)
- Princess Amelia (sister)
- Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife)
- Charlotte Augusta Matilda, Princess Royal (sister)
- Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales (daughter)
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (mother)
- Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg (sister)
- Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover (brother)
- Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe) (wife)
- Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (brother)
- King George III (father)
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (brother)
- Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (sister)
- Prince Octavius (brother)
- Princess Augusta Sophia (sister)
- Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (brother)
- King William IV (brother)
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