The Death of the Earl of Chatham
| The Death of the Earl of Chatham | |
|---|---|
| Artist | John Singleton Copley |
| Year | 1781 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 228.5 cm × 307.5 cm (90.0 in × 121.1 in) |
| Location | National Portrait Gallery (by courtesy of the Tate), London |
The Death of the Earl of Chatham is the title of a 1781 oil-on-canvas painting by Boston-born American artist John Singleton Copley. It depicts the collapse of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham on 7 April 1778, during a debate in the House of Lords on the American War of Independence. Chatham is surrounded by peers of the realm, and the painting contains fifty-five portraits.
Copley's painting also serves as a visual record of the appearance of the Armada tapestries, which were destroyed in the 1834 Burning of Parliament.