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John Joseph Merlin

4 of 4 portraits of John Joseph Merlin

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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John Joseph Merlin

by George Perfect Harding, published by Ralph Smith Kirby, and published by T. Scott
mixed-method engraving, published 31 July 1803
5 1/4 in. x 7 1/8 in. (134 mm x 182 mm) paper size
Bequeathed by (Frederick) Leverton Harris, 1927
Reference Collection
NPG D14296

Sitterback to top

  • John Joseph Merlin (1735-1803), Known as 'The Celebrated Mechanic'. Sitter in 4 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • George Perfect Harding (1779 or 1780-1853), Portrait painter, copyist and antiquary. Artist or producer associated with 173 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
  • Ralph Smith Kirby (active 1799-1846), Bookseller. Artist or producer associated with 5 portraits.
  • T. Scott (active 1803). Artist or producer associated with 1 portrait.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D5250: John Joseph Merlin (from same plate)
  • NPG D5251: John Joseph Merlin (from same plate)
  • NPG D5252: John Joseph Merlin (from same plate)

Placesback to top

Events of 1803back to top

Current affairs

The Vice Society is formally established by John Reeves and his associates to campaign against blasphemy and immorality, particularly that perpetrated by Thomas Paine and the Edinburgh Review.

Art and science

Erasmus Darwin's Temple of Nature published posthumously. A scientific treaty in the form of an elaborate couplet poem, its content anticipated some of the evolutionary ideas developed by his grandson, Charles Darwin, fifty years later.
Construction of the Caledonian Canal begins.

International

War with France resumes, sparking new fears of a cross-channel invasion.
United Irishman, Robert Emmett's attempted uprising in Dublin. Planned to coincide with Napoleon's expected invasion, it aimed to overthrow the English administration but ended in failure. Emmett is hanged along with several other conspirators.

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