William Pitt was the younger son of the Earl of Chatham, becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1782 and Prime Minister in 1783. He was the mastermind in organising the three coalitions against France during his time in office and devoted his life to the defeat of Napoleon.

Lawrence has shown Pitt in a suitably authoritative pose, clutching a scroll in his right hand and pointing forcefully at a document reading ‘Redemption of the National Debt’. During his career Pitt imposed new taxes in order to eliminate Britain’s national debt which had assumed staggering proportions due to the rebellion of the North American colonies.

Although there had been discussions during Pitt’s lifetime regarding Lawrence painting his portrait, the commission was never forthcoming. Instead, this portrait was commissioned and painted posthumously for John Julius Angerstein from a bust of Pitt by Nollekens with assistance from the death-mask and Lawrence’s own observations of the sitter while he was still alive.