Mary Ann Yates in the Character of the Tragic Muse

1 portrait by James Heath

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Mary Ann Yates in the Character of the Tragic Muse

by James Heath, after Thomas Stothard
line engraving, published 1783
7 1/2 in. x 4 5/8 in. (191 mm x 117 mm)
Purchased with help from the Friends of the National Libraries and the Pilgrim Trust, 1966
Reference Collection
NPG D8465

Sitterback to top

  • Mary Ann Yates (1728-1787), Actress. Sitter associated with 53 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • James Heath (1757-1834), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 84 portraits, Sitter associated with 8 portraits.
  • Thomas Stothard (1755-1834), Painter and illustrator. Artist or producer associated with 34 portraits, Sitter in 14 portraits.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D8907: Mary Ann Yates in the Character of the Tragic Muse (from same plate)
  • NPG D8908: Mary Ann Yates in the Character of the Tragic Muse (from same plate)

Events of 1783back to top

Current affairs

William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne resigns as Prime Minister over the proposed peace terms with the United States. Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford briefly forms a government with Charles James Fox in April but is succeeded by a government under William Pitt the Younger who, at the age of 24 becomes the youngest British Prime Minister ever to take office.
The highwayman John Austin is the last person to be publicly executed at Tyburn.

Art and science

Physician and natural philosopher Erasmus Darwin begins publication of A System of Vegetables, a translation from Latin of the work of Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in which he coins many common English names of plants.

International

Defeat of Charles James Fox's India Bill in the House of Lords which aimed to assist ailing British East India Company.
American War of Independence: Treaty of Paris is signed by Britain, France, Spain and the United States, under which the British government recognises US independence. Britain begins to evacuate loyalists and the last British troops leave New York City three months later.

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