Henry Perronet Briggs was one well connected dude.  

His cousin, Amelia Opie, was a pioneering female British author (contemporary with Jane Austen), as well as an abolitionist acquainted with Mary Wollstonecraft, actress Sarah Siddons and other feminist/anti-slavery activists. Amelia’s husband John Opie was also an artist, whose portrait Briggs painted.

Perhaps through this family relationship, Briggs moved in Britain’s top artistic, theatrical and literary circles. He painted many notable actors, including a double portrait of Amelia’s friend Sarah Siddons (the greatest British actress of her time), with her niece actress Fanny Kemble. Fanny later immigrated to the USA where she was a muse of Thomas Sully, married a plantation owner, but dumped him to become an abolitionist after observing the horrible treatment of the slaves. Briggs also painted Ira Aldridge, the world’s first internationally famous African American Shakespearean actor.

In the political arena, Briggs was no slouch either, painting such prominent figures as the Duke of Wellington, who kicked Napoleon’s butt at Waterloo and became Prime Minister of the UK. He also painted several notable scientists. Though obviously proficient in portraiture, Briggs was best known for large historical and theatrical works, such as scenes from Shakespeare.

William Makepeace Thackeray, author of Vanity Fair, called Briggs, “out and out the best portrait-painter of the set.” Biographer William Wroth, on the other hand, commented that his works “cannot be said to belong to the highest class of art.” We think Briggs did all right, and at least he rubbed elbows with some interesting people!