Samuel Clarke

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Samuel Clarke

by George Vertue, after Thomas Gibson
line engraving, engraved 1737
12 3/4 in. x 7 3/4 in. (324 mm x 198 mm) plate size; 13 1/8 in. x 8 1/8 in. (332 mm x 206 mm) paper size
Given by Sir Herbert Henry Raphael, 1st Bt, 1913
Reference Collection
NPG D19966

Sitterback to top

  • Samuel Clarke (1675-1729), Metaphysician. Sitter in 24 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • Thomas Gibson (circa 1680-1751), Portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 62 portraits.
  • George Vertue (1683-1756), Engraver and antiquary. Artist or producer associated with 865 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.

Portrait setback to top

Subject/Themeback to top

Events of 1737back to top

Current affairs

Death of Queen Caroline, wife of George II, on 20 November.
Frederick, Prince of Wales quarrels with his father. The king expels him from court for criticising the government.
Theatrical Licensing Act introduces censorship, requiring plays to be submitted to the Lord Chancellor for approval and reducing the number of theatres.

Art and science

French portrait-painter Jean-Baptiste Van Loo arrives in England where he soon attracts prominent sitters such as Robert Walpole, Colley Cibber and William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield.
Venus passes in front of Mercury and is witnessed by amateur astronomer John Bevis at the Royal Greenwich Observatory. It remains the only such planetary occlusion that has been directly observed.

International

Colonist William Byrd founds Richmond, Virginia.
French Académie Royale de Peintre et de Sculpture begins its programme of public exhibitions.
Florence loses her independence when the last Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany dies.


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