Pseudonyms, Propaganda, and Prints: The Life and Political Caricatures of William Dent, 1782–93 ¹

Abstract ‘Dent was probably an amateur and nothing is known of his life’, state Bryant and Heneage. Despite contributing to caricature's ‘golden age’, William Dent remains overlooked compared to contemporaries like James Gillray. Dent's extensive portfolio (1782–93) and rumoured role as a Pittite propagandist have not secured his place in the canon of visual satire. Unlike the professional Gillray, Dent's amateurism is evident in the crudeness of his style, content, and daring use of double‐entendres. Only Srividhya Swaminathan has dedicated a work to Dent, focusing on his proslavery stance, while scholars like Diana Donald and Vic Gatrell merely mention him in passing. This article seeks to offer the first study of Dent's career and political affiliations as artist and publisher using his surviving prints, newspapers, and legal documents. The focus spans his key political works, from Fox's coalition of 1783 to Dent's sudden disappearance in 1793 amid the Revolutionary Wars.