National Maritime Museum: William Hodges 1744-1797: The Art of Exploration



1744 William Hodges born, son of a London blacksmith

1754 Enrols at Shipley's drawing school 1758 Apprenticed to Richard Wilson		1754 The Society of Arts founded 1756 Outbreak of the Seven Years War 1758 Nelson born 1759 The British Museum opens to the public John Harrison perfects the marine chronometer

1765 Leaves Wilson's studio to work in Wales and north of England 1766 Begins exhibiting at the Society of Artists		1760 First public exhibition of paintings in London, organized by the Society of Arts 1763 Seven Years War concluded with Peace of Paris 1768 Founding of the Royal Academy Cook's first voyage (-1771) 1769 Napoleon born

c. 1770 Travels to the continent as part of Lord Palmerston's retinue 1772 Embarks with Cook on his second voyage 1775 Returns from voyage and is employed by the Admiralty to execute paintings commemorating Cook's expedition and finish drawings for the official voyage publication 1776 First exhibits at the Royal Academy Marries but wife dies in childbirth 1779 Leaves for India with the patronage of Warren Hastings		1772 Cook's second voyage (-1775), taking copy of Harrison's chronometer 1773 Boston Tea Party 1774 Warren Hastings made first Governor General of Bengal 1775 War against rebel American colonists 1776 American Declaration of Independence Cook's third voyage begins (- 1780) John Harrison dies 1778 American rebel colonists ally with France 1779 Cook killed on Hawaii

1784 Returns from India Remarries but wife dies within three months 1785 Marries Ann Mary Carr 1786 Elected associate member of the Royal Academy 1787 Elected full member of the Royal Academy		1783 Peace of Versailles and recognition of American Independence 1788 Hastings's impeachment for corruption begins 1789 Meeting of Estates General at Versailles Fall of the Bastille and start of the French Revolution

1791 Employed as 'Inventor and Painter of the Decorations' at the Pantheon Opera House, Oxford Street, London 1792 Travels to St Petersburg, Russia. Returns after three months 1794 One-man show at Orme's Gallery. The show is closed in January 1795 after the Duke of York condemns Hodges's work as 'democratic'. This is effectively the end of his career as a painter 1795 Leaves London for Devon, investing in banking firm with Thomas Gretton 1797 Banking crisis leaves Hodges ruined and he dies on 6 March. There are rumours of suicide		1791 Publication of Thomas Paine's Rights of Man 1793 Execution of Louis XVI France declares war on Britain 1795 Hastings is acquitted 1797 Nelson knighted after the Battle of Cape St Vincent

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