Richard Houston after William Hoare

The Right Honourable William Pitt Esq.
One of His Majesty's Most Hon.ble Privy Council.

22½ x 29 inches

Almost life-size, half-length mezzotint portrait of Pitt the Elder, engraved by Richard Houston after William Hoare and published in London in 1766.

This mezzotint portrait is remarkable for its scale, its sitter, its artistic creators and the level of detail on the magnificent brocade coat. It is a tour de force in the art of mezzotint engraving and pictures William Pitt, the 1st Earl of Chatham, in the year in which he was appointed both 1st Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister. He goes by the moniker of "Elder" to differentiate him from his son who was also called William and followed in his father's footsteps to become Prime Minister. The original painting was owned by the Earl Temple, a fellow politician. Aside from the importance of the subject, we must focus on the extraordinary embroidery of the coat: convolvulus dominate the design and silk buttons hold it in place. A jaunty lace cravat tops off the ensemble in juxtaposition to the severity of Pitt's features.

£1200