Hester Lynch Piozzi (née Salusbury, later Mrs Thrale)

by Thomas Holloway, published by John Sewell, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
etching, published 1786 (1777-1778)
6 7/8 in. x 4 1/2 in. (175 mm x 114 mm) plate size; 7 3/8 in. x 4 3/4 in. (188 mm x 122 mm) paper size
Bequeathed by (Frederick) Leverton Harris, 1927
Reference Collection
NPG D14438

Sitterback to top

Hester Lynch Piozzi (née Salusbury, later Mrs Thrale) (1741-1821), Writer and friend of Dr Johnson. Sitter in 14 portraits.

Artistsback to top

Thomas Holloway (1748-1827), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 33 portraits.
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Artist or producer associated with 1415 portraits, Sitter associated with 39 portraits.
John Sewell (1735-1802), Bookseller and print publisher; proprietor of the European Magazine. Artist or producer associated with 43 portraits.

Placesback to top

Place made: United Kingdom: England, London (Cornhill, London)

Portrait setback to top

Frances Burney Diary, 1768-78 (volume 2, part 2)

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1786back to top

Current affairs

Philosopher and politician Edmund Burke instigates impeachment proceedings against Warren Hastings, former Governor-General of Bengal after concerns about the moral standards of the British in India are raised.
Prime Minister William Pitt appoints commissioners for the reduction of the national debt and establishes a sinking fund of £1 million a year.
Government approves the establishment of a penal colony at Botany Bay.

Art and science

Robert Burns publishes Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect bringing him immediate success across the country.
Engraver and publisher John Boydell initiates plans for his Shakespeare Gallery in an effort to establish a school of British history painting.
Merchant David Dale establishes New Lanark in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, as a model cotton milling community.

International

General Charles Cornwallis succeeds Warren Hastings as Governor-General in India.
Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Marriage of Figaro premieres in Vienna.
Francisco Goya is appointed court painter to the Spanish king Charles III.

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