'Search-night; - or - state-watchmen mistaking honest-men for conspirators'
'Search-night; - or - state-watchmen mistaking honest-men for conspirators'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 March 1798
10 1/4 in. x 14 1/4 in. (261 mm x 361 mm) plate size; 10 3/4 in. x 14 7/8 in. (274 mm x 377 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12633
Artistsback to top
- James Gillray (1756-1815), Caricaturist. Artist or producer associated with 887 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.
- Hannah Humphrey (circa 1745-1818), Publisher and printseller. Artist or producer associated with 720 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
Sittersback to top
- Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford (1765-1802), Whig politician and agriculturist. Sitter associated with 39 portraits. Identify
- Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Whig statesman. Sitter associated with 313 portraits. Identify
- Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings (1754-1826), Army officer and Politician, Governor-General of India. Sitter in 46 portraits. Identify
- Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (1742-1811), Statesman. Sitter associated with 82 portraits. Identify
- John Nicholls (1745?-1832), Politician; MP for Bletchingley and Tregony. Sitter in 20 portraits. Identify
- Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk (1746-1815), Politician; MP for Carlise and Arundel. Sitter associated with 55 portraits. Identify
- William Pitt (1759-1806), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 174 portraits. Identify
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), Dramatist and parliamentary orator. Sitter associated with 168 portraits. Identify
- George Tierney (1761-1830), Politician; MP for Southwark and Knaresborough. Sitter associated with 51 portraits. Identify
- John Horne Tooke (1736-1812), Radical politician; MP and philologist. Sitter associated with 49 portraits. Identify
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1798back to top
Current affairs
To meet war costs, William Pitt introduces a Finance Bill which levies income tax for the first time.Art and science
William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge publish Lyrical Ballads; a key publication for the romantic movement in poetry. Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner opens the volume.Publisher and printseller Rudolph Ackermann establishes his popular 'Repository of the Arts' shop, gallery, library and social centre on the Strand.
International
Uprising of the United Irishmen: a republican rebellion which attempted to achieve Ireland's total independence by force with the aid of a French invasion. It was only narrowly defeated.Battle of the Nile. Napoleon's visionary Egyptian campaign offers British first major victory as Nelson destroys the French fleet.
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