| Timeline |
| 1723 |
Born 16 July, Plympton, in Devonshire |
| 1740 |
Apprenticed to Thomas Hudson |
| 1749 |
Sails to the Mediterranean with Commodore Augustus Keppel |
| 1752 |
Returns to London |
| 1764 |
Founds the Literary Club |
| 1768 |
First president of the newly founded Royal Academy |
| 1768 |
Visits Paris |
| 1769 |
Delivers the first of his annual Discourses |
| 1769 |
Knighted by King George III |
| 1771 |
Visits Paris |
| 1781 |
Travels to the Netherlands |
| 1784 |
Appointed painter to the king |
| 1785 |
Visits Brussels |
| 1789 |
Failing eyesight forces him to retire his brushes |
| 1792 |
Dies in London 23 February |
