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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

William Hodges Esq. RA

1792
John Thornthwaite (attributed engraver) and C Forster (printer) after Richard Westall

engraving on paper (sheet: 20.8 cm x 12.8 cm, image: 10.1 cm x 7.8 cm)

William Hodges (1744-1797) trained from an early age at William Shipley's drawing school at Castle Court in the Strand, and was afterward apprenticed to a landscape painter. Having probably worked as a theatrical scene painter, he was appointed draughtsman to Cook's second voyage in 1772. He produced a number of large-scale oil paintings commemorating the voyage, and supervised engravings after sketches made on board. He also produced the dark portrait of Cook that is now in the Maritime Museum, London. After finishing with the Pacific, between 1780 and 1784 Hodges worked as a landscape painter in India, working for the East India Company and the Governor-General. His Travels in India was published in 1793; he also produced a treatise on Indian architecture and a series of Select Views in India. After briefly visiting the court of Catherine the Great in 1793, Hodges staged a solo show at Orme's Rooms in the Strand, centring on two subversive works depicting the effects of peace and the consequences of war. England was at war with revolutionary France at the time, and the exhibition was shut down after a visit from the Duke of York in 1795.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Ted and Gina Gregg 2012

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Richard Westall (age 27 in 1792)

John Thornthwaite (age 52 in 1792)

C Forster

William Hodges (age 48 in 1792)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

Donated by

Loretta Pash (40 portraits)

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency