Henry Grattan Esq

Wheatley, Francis, after

Mezzotint portrait on paper of Henry Grattan (1746-1820) engraved and published by Valentine Green (1739-1813) in London in 1782. It is a copy of an oil sketch (1780) by Francis Wheatley (1747-1801) now in the National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG 790). The oil painting of Grattan was a study for Wheatley's large canvas depicting Grattan's speech proposing legislative independence for Ireland before the Irish House of Commons in April 1782. This was followed by the Act of Repeal 1782 and the Irish Appeals Act 1783, granting Ireland an independent parliament. Wheatley's The Irish House of Common is now in Lotherton Hall, Leeds Museum and Galleries (LEEAG.PA.1968.0001.0022).