Minerva Press broadside detailing the unfortunate end of Louis XVI on the guillotine, January 21, 1793 in Paris. The broadside includes a woodcut illustration of a man lying face down waiting for the blade of the guillotine to drop; the decree of the French National Convention authorizing the execution of "Louis Capet;" descriptions of his execution and of the guillotine--"the modern beheading machine"--and a few anecdotes indicating "that for some time [the king] had been expecting his fate."
Description:
One of several variants; in this edition, the text of the second column begins with the words: "middle of the square, directly facing the gate of the garden of the Tuileries..." See also English short title catalogue, nos. T194096 and T039027., Caption title., Text printed in two columns; text and illustration within double-ruled black border., "Price three-pence.", "Where may be had an exact and authenticated copy of his will, price one-penny"--Lower margin., and For further information, consult library staff.
Publisher:
Printed at the Minerva Office, for William Lane, Leadenhall-Street, and sold wholesale at one guinea per hundred and And retail by every bookseller, stationer, &c. in England, Scotland and Ireland
Subject (Geographic):
France and France.
Subject (Name):
Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793 and Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793.
Subject (Topic):
Death and burial, Politics and government, Foreign public opinion, British, and Public opinion
"Heading to a broadside printed in two columns. The King, a bloated and whiskered infant, sleeps in a cradle, rocked by Sidmouth (right), a lean old woman wearing a cap and bag-wig, who sits in a rocking-chair, his clyster-pipe (cf. British Museum Satires No. 9849) on the ground. The cradle is surmounted by a pagoda with bells, and ornamented by two large crocodiles, representing the Chinese dragons of the Pavilion, cf. British Museum Satires No. 12749. On it are also a sun, with a fool's cap in its disk, between crescent moons. Round the cradle lie toys: soldiers, mounted lancers, &c., on wheels, a cannon, a sceptre, a crown with a toy windmill stuck in it. With these are papers: 'Divorce'; 'Protocal' [sic]; 'Send her to Hell'. The infant holds a coral and bells and a corkscrew. Castlereagh sits over the fire warming a napkin. Canning (see British Museum Satires No. 13737) walks off to the left, disgustedly carrying the pan of a commode decorated with a crown and 'G.R.' On the chimneypiece are pap-boat, bottle of 'Dolby's Carminative, &c'. (Dolby was a radical bookseller, 'Dalby's carminative' a well-known remedy for infants). A large 'Green Bag' hangs on the wall. In a doorway behind Sidmouth, inscribed 'French Dolls', stand two young women, in evening dress, stiff and impassive."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title printed in letterpress below image., First edition? For the eighth edition, see no. 13764 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 10., Date of publication from description of later edition in the British Museum catalogue., Twelve stanzas of verse in two columns below title, printed in letterpress: Hush! GREAT BABE! lie still and slumber, Troops of lancers guard thy bed, Chinese gimcracks, without number, Nicely dangle o'er thy head. ..., "Price, with the engraving, coloured, 1s."--Below verses., Publisher's advertisement above imprint statement: "The Devil's ball; or, There never were such times." Words only, 2d. - with coloured engraving, 1s. 6d.", and "(Entered at Stationers' Hall.)"--Below imprint.
Publisher:
Published by T. Dolby, 299, Strand, and 34, Wardour Street, Soho
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821., Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, and Canning, George, 1770-1827
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Political satire, English, Cradles, Rocking chairs, Toys, and Fireplaces