Artwork
The Death of the Earl of Chatham
The Death of the Earl of Chatham is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1779 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: JSCopley / 1779
About this work
Technique & Style
The work belongs to the genre of group portraiture, depicting the dramatic final moments of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, in the House of Lords.
The Death of the Earl of Chatham is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 52.7 × 64.2 cm. The work belongs to the genre of group portraiture, depicting the dramatic final moments of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, in the House of Lords. Copley employed oil paint with a handling suited to historical narrative, capturing a theatrical scene of contemporary political significance. The relatively modest dimensions suggest it may be a finished modello or reduced version related to larger compositions of the same subject.
The painting is now in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., having been gifted in 1947.
History & Provenance
John Singleton Copley executed The Death of the Earl of Chatham in 1779 as an oil on canvas. Its early ownership is partially obscured, though records indicate it may have been offered at Christie, Manson & Woods in London on 23 May 1865, where it was bought in; a label from Henry Graves & Co. suggests it later passed through their London gallery. The work then entered the artist's family, owned by his great-granddaughter Susan Greene Amory Dexter of Boston, followed by her son Gordon Dexter and his widow Isabella Hunnewell Dexter. In 1947, Isabella Dexter gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Overview
John Singleton Copley's 1779 oil painting, The Death of the Earl of Chatham, depicts a solemn historical moment. This large-scale canvas captures the dramatic collapse of William Pitt the Elder, a prominent British statesman, during a parliamentary debate. The work exemplifies Copley's transition into historical painting after his move to London, showcasing his ability to render complex narratives with emotional depth.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork portrays the critical instant when William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham, suffered a fatal seizure in the House of Lords on April 7, 1778. He is shown prostrate on a red couch, surrounded by numerous parliamentary figures who react with concern and distress. The composition emphasizes the gravity of the event, transforming a personal tragedy into a public spectacle that underscores a pivotal moment in British political history concerning American independence.
Context
This monumental canvas commemorates a significant political event: the collapse of William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham, in the House of Lords. While passionately arguing against a motion to grant American independence, Chatham suffered a fatal seizure. Copley's depiction transforms this real-life tragedy into a powerful visual narrative, reflecting the intense political tensions and debates surrounding the American Revolutionary War in late 18th-century Britain.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an American-born British painter active in both the Thirteen Colonies and England.
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