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'The Holy Alliance Unmasked' (Alexander I, Tsar of Russia; Napoléon Bonaparte; Francis I, Emperor of Austria; Louis Antoine de Bourbon, duc d'Angoulême; Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington)

5 of 6 portraits of Alexander I, Tsar of Russia

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'The Holy Alliance Unmasked' (Alexander I, Tsar of Russia; Napoléon Bonaparte; Francis I, Emperor of Austria; Louis Antoine de Bourbon, duc d'Angoulême; Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington)

by Edward Purcell, published by Joseph Dickinson
hand-coloured lithograph, published February 1823
10 7/8 in. x 14 1/2 in. (276 mm x 368 mm) paper size
Bequeathed by Sir Edward Dillon Lott du Cann, 2018
Reference Collection
NPG D48682

Sittersback to top

Artistsback to top

  • Joseph Dickinson (1780-1849), Stationer and lithographic publisher. Artist associated with 83 portraits.
  • Edward Purcell (active 1812-1831), Lithographer; satirical printmaker. Artist associated with 1 portrait.

Placesback to top

Portrait setback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1823back to top

Current affairs

Gaols Act is passed to build new prisons, raise standards in old ones and institute regular inspections. It is prompted by the vigorous campaigning of reformers such as Elizabeth Fry, leader of the Ladies Association for the Improvement of Female Prisoners in Newgate Prison.
Anti-Slavery Committee is founded in London.

Art and science

Architect, Robert Smirke begins construction of the British Museum.
Thomas Wakley founds The Lancet, the first weekly medical journal and important mouthpiece of medical reform.
Charles Babbage begins work on the first calculating machine.
Charles Macintosh invents waterproof fabric.

International

Catholic Association is founded by Daniel O'Connell in Ireland in an attempt to mobilise and politicise the entire Irish Catholic population in a systematic challenge to the ruling Protestant ascendancy.
War breaks out between France and Spain.
English missionary John Smith died in prison having been sentenced to be hanged for failing to take up arms against slaves in Demerara.

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