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Pope Joan - A Devotee doing Homage

20 of 53 portraits of Constantine Henry Phipps, 1st Marquess of Normanby

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Pope Joan - A Devotee doing Homage

by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Alfred Ducôte, published by Thomas McLean
lithograph, published 12 December 1837
11 3/4 in. x 17 1/4 in. (298 mm x 437 mm) overall
acquired unknown source, 1900
Reference Collection
NPG D41442

Sittersback to top

Artistsback to top

  • John ('HB') Doyle (1797-1868), 'HB'; caricaturist. Artist associated with 746 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
  • Alfred Ducôte (active 1830-1840), Lithographer and lithographic printer. Artist associated with 462 portraits.
  • Thomas McLean (1788-1875), Publisher and dealer. Artist associated with 1057 portraits.

Placesback to top

Portrait setback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1837back to top

Current affairs

The controversial monarch William IV dies of pneumonia in June leaving no legitimate heirs, and is succeeded to the throne by his niece Victoria, one month after her eighteenth birthday.
The Registration Act of Births, Marriages and Deaths makes it compulsory for all births, marriages and deaths to be registered at a Registry Office.

Art and science

Dickens's second novel Oliver Twist is serialised in Bentley's Magazine. The story of the orphan Oliver is an attack on the Poor Law Amendment Acts (1834), a highly contentious piece of legislation which abolished outdoor relief, effectively increasing entry in the workhouse. The novel, famously made into a musical in 1968, marks Dickens as an outspoken social critic as well as a highly popular and commercial writer.

International

The Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin is killed in a duel with Baron Georges d'Anthès. Considered the founder of modern Russian literature, Pushkin blended Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian and was the first Russian writer to use everyday speech in his poetry. His works include Eugene Onegin.

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