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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.

Sir Joseph Banks

1811
William Daniell (publisher) after George Dance

soft ground etching on paper (sheet: 46.5 cm x 29.3 cm, plate-mark: 27.0 cm x 20.0 cm)

Sir Joseph Banks Bt (1743–1820), naturalist, was President of the Royal Society for more than forty years, from 1778 to 1820. Having returned in 1771 from his voyage with Cook to the Pacific, he was often consulted as British plans for global expansion took shape. From 1788 to about 1810, though Banks held no official post, he was effectively head of Australian affairs in Britain. Meanwhile, in 1788 he co-founded the African Society; up to 1817 the Society funded several expeditions to chart the course of the Niger, Banks taking a lead role as a consequence of his connections at the University of Göttingen. George Dance the Younger was City of London Surveyor and Architect from the age of 27, responsible for the new Newgate Prison and St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, amongst many other structures. However, after 1798 he concentrated on chalk portraits of his friends, including James Boswell, Horace Walpole, Hester Thrale, Joseph Haydn and Sir Robert Smirke. William Daniell spent many years translating Dance’s portraits of eminent characters into soft ground etchings; 72 of Dance’s portraits were engraved and published for popular sale between 1808 and 1814.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2014

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

George Dance

William Daniell (age 42 in 1811)

Sir Joseph Banks KCB (age 68 in 1811)

Subject professions

Science and technology

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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.

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