Thomas Gray

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Thomas Gray

by James Basire, after William Mason
pencil, 1771-1775, based on a work of 1771
10 1/4 in. x 8 in. (260 mm x 203 mm)
Purchased, 1876
Primary Collection
NPG 425

Sitterback to top

  • Thomas Gray (1716-1771), Classical scholar and poet. Sitter in 14 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • James Basire (1730-1802), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 85 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
  • William Mason (1725-1797), Poet and divine; friend and biographer of Thomas Gray. Artist or producer associated with 9 portraits, Sitter associated with 10 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This profile portrait is wreathed by two semi-circular boughs of bay, celebrating Gray as a poet. More detailed information on this portrait is available in a National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, John Kerslake's Early Georgian Portraits (1977, out of print).

Linked publicationsback to top

Events of 1771back to top

Current affairs

Artist Benjamin West exhibits his celebrated modern history painting The Death of Wolfe at the Royal Academy, commemorating the death of General James Wolfe at the 1759 Battle of Quebec during the Seven Years' War. The painting creates a sensation and George III commissions a copy.
Reporting of parliamentary debates is permitted.

Art and science

Richard Arkwright begins to develop cotton mills at Cromford in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire; one of the earliest factory complexes.
Botanist James Robertson makes the first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis.
Encyclopedia Britannica is completed with 2,931 pages.
First recorded cricket match is played in Horsham, West Sussex.

International

First voyage of James Cook ends. HMS Endeavour anchors in the port of Deal, Kent following its three-year global circumnavigation.
Spain cedes the Falkland Islands to Britain.

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