Henry Wigstead

Henry Wigstead (died 1800 at Margate) was an English Magistrate amateur painter & caricaturist.

He was a close personal friend of Thomas Rowlandson, whom he accompanied on sketching trips to the Isle of Wight (1784), Brighton (1789) and Wales (1787) which resulted in subsequent publications for which Rowlandson provided the illustrations.

Wigstead exhibited at the RA exhibition of 1785. His style appears to be close to Rowlandson, who create prints of many of his works, often signing them as Wigstead.

Wigstead also worked on the Royal Pavilion for the Prince of Wales (the future George IV). When George III became incapacitated, the Prince hired Wigstead to distribute satirical caricatures across England attacking the king and those in William Pitt the Younger's cabinet who the Prince believed were frustrating his claim to the Regency. Although Wigstead's name was associated with these prints, the recent discovery of payments to Thomas Rowlandson confirm that his friend was the actual artist.

References

• Wigstead, H & Rowlandson T : An Excursion to Brighthelmstone, made in the year 1789, by Henry Wigstead and Thomas Rowlandson, with eight engravings by TR Geo and J.Robinson, London, 1790
• Wigstead, H: Remarks on a Tour to North and South Wales in the year 1797 by Henry Wigstead - W.Wigstead, London, 1800