Duke of Richmond

James Sayers
(Duke of Richmond)
(Members of the Coalition Ministry of 1782)
London, C Bretherton 3rd. July 1782
Etching
180 x 110 mm
£85
Richmond was Master-General of the Ordnance in Rockingham’s Ministry. At the date of this print the question of whether he should remain in office under Shelburne, or resign with his nephew Fox, was a burning one. Though he remained in office, in January 1783 he refused to attend the Cabinet meetings, disapproving of Shelburne’s ‘assumption of too much power’ in the peace negotiations.
From a series of small, whole length caricature portraits of prominent members of the Whig Coalition and opponents of the American War. The inspiration was apparently the ministerial changes of March 1782.
BM 6077