Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
line engraving, published 1741
14 3/4 in. x 9 1/4 in. (375 mm x 234 mm) plate size; 16 1/2 in. x 11 3/8 in. (419 mm x 290 mm) paper size
acquired unknown source, 1929
Reference Collection
NPG D39821

Sitterback to top

Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (1641-1711), Politician; MP for several constituencies and writer. Sitter in 15 portraits.

Artistsback to top

Jacobus Houbraken (1698-1780), Engraver. Artist associated with 435 portraits.
John & Paul Knapton (active 1735-1789), Booksellers and publishers. Artist associated with 290 portraits.
Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (1646-1723), Portrait painter. Artist associated with 1686 portraits, Sitter associated with 30 portraits.

Related worksback to top

NPG D30817: Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (from same plate)
NPG D39820: Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (from same plate)
NPG D42921: Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (from same plate)

Placesback to top

Place made: United Kingdom: England, London (London)

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1741back to top

Current affairs

Motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Walpole is followed by a general election. Walpole's majority is reduced to less than twenty and he suffers defeat in seven divisions.
Opening of the Foundling Hospital, London, to aid homeless and abandoned children.

Art and science

Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is appointed head gardener at Stowe, where he works with the architect William Kent.
Actor David Garrick makes his debut on the London stage in Richard III.
Henry Fielding publishes An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews satirising Samuel Richardson's best-selling novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded.

International

War of the Austrian Succession: Admiral Edward Vernon leads an unsuccessful attack on Spanish stronghold of Cartagena. Frederick II's Prussian army defeats the Austrians at Mollwitz, securing his hold on most of Silesia. French and Bavarian forces enter Prague.
Composer Johann Sebastian Bach publishes his set of Goldberg Variations, supposedly written for performance by the young harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg.

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