William Pitt (1759–1806), MP

William Pitt, MP from 1805 by John Hoppner is another portrait of the prime minister from the final year of his life. Multiple versions of Pitt's portrait were produced to meet the enormous demand for likenesses of Britain's wartime leader. Hoppner's oil handling favored warm flesh tones over silvery grey half-shadows, producing an immediate vivacity that reflected his admiration for Reynolds and Gainsborough. Portrait Painter to the Prince of Wales from 1793, prolific exhibitor at the Royal Academy.

The portrait captures the statesman with Hoppner's atmospheric technique, the broad brushwork creating a vivid impression of the aging premier's features.