Richard Newton

Richard Newton

Richard Newton was born in 1777. He became a caricaturist in the style of Thomas Rowlandson, William Hogarth, Isaac Cruikshank and James Gillray.

His first known print shows Newton painting George III. Newton produced a series of prints showing the poor taste of the king. In his book, George III: A Life in Caricature, Kenneth Baker argues that: "Not a scholar, George's taste was more that of a well-read country squire. He did not care much for Shakespeare, telling Fanny Burney that it was sad stuff".

Newton was a supporter of Tom Paine and made several visits to Newgate Prison to see his own publisher, William Holland, who was serving a prison sentence for publishing pamphlets such as Rights of Man.

Richard Newton died of jail fever aged 21 in 1798.

Richard Newton's print shows King George watching two clowns (1798).
Richard Newton's print shows King George watching two clowns (1798).