David Garrick
1 portrait by James Stevens
© National Portrait Gallery, London
David Garrick
by Robert Laurie, printed for and published by James Stevens, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 30 January 1779 (circa 1775?)
14 in. x 10 in. (357 mm x 254 mm) plate size; 19 3/4 in. x 14 7/8 in. (503 mm x 379 mm) paper size
Reference Collection
NPG D34374
Sitterback to top
- David Garrick (1717-1779), Actor, playwright and theatre manager. Sitter associated with 61 portraits.
Artistsback to top
- Robert Laurie (Lowery or Lowry or Lowrie or Lawrey or Lawrie) (1755?-1836), Mezzotint engraver and printseller. Artist or producer associated with 69 portraits.
- Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Artist or producer associated with 1425 portraits, Sitter associated with 40 portraits.
- James Stevens (active 1779), Printseller. Artist or producer associated with 1 portrait.
Related worksback to top
- NPG D2421: David Garrick (based on same portrait)
- NPG L269.B5.03: David Garrick ()
Placesback to top
- Place made: United Kingdom: England, London (opposite Hatton Garden, Holborn, London)
Events of 1779back to top
Current affairs
Admiral Augustus Keppel, First Lord of the Admiralty during the final years of the American War of Independence is tried and acquitted at court martial of misconduct at the Battle of Ushant the previous year. His case becomes a cause célèbre.Botanist Joseph Banks tells a committee of the House of Commons that the east coast of Australia is suitable for the transportation of convicted felons.
Penitentiary Act authorises state prisons.
Art and science
Swiss artist Henry Fuseli settles in London after nine years in Rome. Painter and President of the Royal Academy Joshua Reynolds' celebrated Discourses on art are published as a book.World's first iron bridge is assembled across the Severn at Coalbrookdale.Inventor Samuel Crompton introduces the Spinning Mule.
John Newton and William Cowper's Olney Hymns is published, containing the first printed version of Amazing Grace.
International
American War of Independence: Spain, in alliance with France and the US, declares war on Britain. Great Siege of Gibraltar begins, in which French and Spanish forces try to wrest power from the established British Garrison, under the leadership of General George Augustus Eliot.Captain James Cook is killed in a skirmish with natives on the Sandwich Islands on his third and final voyage.
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.
Related pages
- Alexander Browne and Richard Tompson
- Late Eighteenth Century Prints and Drawings
- Samuel Johnson and biography
- Only Connect
- Only Connect - David Garrick <> Karl Abel
- Only Connect - installation video
- The First Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Sarah Siddons
- Everyday icons: collecting popular portraits
- Love Stories
- Love stories: art, passion and tragedy
- Self-Portrait: Renaissance to Contemporary
- Brilliant Women
- 2018 Anniversaries
- COMING HOME: Samuel Johnson
- Dr Samuel Johnson
- 2020 Anniversaries
- Adopt-a-Portrait
- Icons and Identities: Shakespeare to Winehouse
- Escape to Eden
- Nelson: before and after Trafalgar