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About the same time Copley painted the "Family Picture" of his own household, including
himself. "The Death of Lord Chatham" was finished before 1780 and followed by the " Death of Major Pierson,"
the "Siege of Gibraltar," 1790, the "Surrender of Admiral de Windt to Lord Camperdown," and "Charles I
demanding the Five Impeached Members." Later he turned more to religious subjects, painting a "Red Cross
Knight" about 1789, and half-a-dozen years later, "Abraham's Sacrifice," "Hagar and Ish-mael," "Saul reproved
by Samuel," "The Nativity," the "Tribute Money" (his diploma picture), "Samuel and Eli," also large portrait
groups such as the "Three Princesses," children of George III, the "Fitch Picture," the "Western Family," and
the "Knatchbull Family."
This latter picture painted for Sir Edward Knatchbull had been plentifully adorned with
legends illustrating the laborious deliberation of the painter's work. Begun in 1800, the baronet fondly
thought that it might be finished in a month, but it was not finally put in place until 1807, and in the
meanwhile the wife first represented had died and her effigy had been effaced and replaced by that of a
second one; two children had also gone the way of all flesh (though their portraits remained), and four more
had arrived. It is even said that Sir Edward desired his first wife introduced floating as a guardian angel
over the group, but that his second objected so decidedly and strenuously that her likeness was painted out
for the second time.
Toward the end of Copley's life his vogue as a painter
began to decline, many of his large compositions remained unsold, including an equestrian portrait of the Prince of
Wales and "The Offer of the Crown to Lady Jane Grey," a canvas with the figures half life-size, a scale which was
unusual with him. Then, too, Sharpe, the engraver, caused him much trouble by his dilatoriness in finishing the
plate of the "Siege of Gibraltar," which dragged along through several years after the prints had been promised and
subscriptions received. All this with his large establishment and his expensive manner of life involved him in
financial difficulties, and to insure his son's advance in the study and practice of the law he was forced
frequently to borrow money from his son-in-law, Gardiner Greene
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