"Sir William Hamilton, old and bent, inspects his antiques. He stands in profile to left, looking through spectacles held in his right hand and reversed. He wears a round hat, a spencer over his coat and spurred top-boots, a stick in his (gloved) left hand; an expressive glove issues from his coat pocket. The objects at which he gazes are on a cloth-covered table. In the centre is a bust of 'Lais', the head that of Lady Hamilton, with fashionably dressed hair, but with nose, mouth, and chin broken away. Next it is a nude and headless Bacchante holding up a bunch of grapes (this was one of his wife's famous attitudes). Behind is a term with the head of a bull inscribed 'APIS'. Other objects are a weeping Cupid with a broken arrow, a grotesque goblet, a cracked chamber-pot on which nude figures dance. Against the wall (right) stands a mummy-like figure of 'MIDAS', with ass's ears. Other grotesque and broken objects stand on the carpet. On the wall are four pictures (left to right): 'Cleopatra', Lady Hamilton, three-quarter length, indecently décolletée and holding a bottle of 'Gin'; 'Mark Antony', Nelson, three-quarter length, a sea-fight in the background; a volcano in eruption; 'Claudius', a profile half length of Hamilton turning his back on the other pictures, the frame decorated with a stag's head."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Cognocenti contemplating the beauties of the antique and Cognoscenti contemplating the beauties of the antique
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Antiques -- Literature reference: Hamilton, Sir William, 1730-1803: Observations on Mount Vesuvius., and Matted to 62 x 49 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 11th, 1801, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
"Prince Leopold sits enthroned, flanked by his new subjects; he wears uniform with a crown, and sits on a two-tiered circular dais in a chair of state, the seat of which is covered with giant thorns. Punctured and frightened, he grasps the arms of his chair with crisped fingers; his toes are drawn back, touching the ground, and he looks towards a savage-looking Greek (right) who kneels before him with a long knife held behind his back. A similar ruffian kneels on the left; others approach menacingly from the left, one smoking a long pipe and grasping a knife. They wear Greek costume with embroidered jackets and full white breeches. On the right are long-robed ecclesiastics, headed by a bearded patriarch with a cross in one hand, a knife in the other."--British Museum online catalogue
Brooke, William Henry, 1772-1860, printmaker, artist
Published / Created:
[1 September 1813]
Call Number:
813.09.01.02
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"Plate from the 'Satirist', xiii. 193. In the text the title continues '. . ., "alias" War'. A satire on the Congress of Prague. Four sovereigns, completely unlike the men in question, in conference. The Tsar sits behind a small rectangular table on which are displayed implements of war in miniature: cannon, pyramids of cannon-balls, muskets, swords, drums, &c., and flags on one of which are fleurs-de-lis. On the left stand the King of Prussia and the Emperor of Austria, on the right is Napoleon. Alexander extends his hands rhetorically, turning to the left, with a puckered scowl, to say to the two Germans: "Come Gentlemen see first if you can agree--if not we'll all fight!" He has quasi-Kalmuck features, and wears an odd-shaped crown, an ermine-bordered robe, with a jewelled necklace and a Greek cross. Frederick William III, on the extreme left, clutches the hilt of his sword and puts his left hand to his cocked hat as if ready to doff it, he turns to Francis I, towards whom a label issues from his mouth: "I am ready to treat or to fight"; a second label floats to the left, inscribed 'Infernal Scoundrel'. Francis I, looking distracted, stands directed to the right, legs apart, and in his left hand is his sabre, the blade of which curves over the Tsar's head, but both hands touch his crown, and he says: "I will wear an independant Crown." He wears hussar uniform, cloak, sash, and elaborately embroidered tunic and pantaloons. Napoleon, tall and burly, with heavy whisker and aquiline profile, wears a plumed bicorne with tricolour cockade and very tattered uniform leaving his legs almost bare, with one dilapidated jack-boot and one damaged stocking; he has a long sword. He stands aggressively with arms dramatically extended, saying, "My Friends! all we wish is Peace." A chain is attached to each great toe, which is fastened to the necks of two miserable princes, tiny figures standing between his outstretched legs. One (left), Charles IV of Spain, wearing a crown and robe, grotesquely knock-kneed and despairing, stands full-face. The other, wearing a crown with uniform and sword, stoops in profile, looking up abjectly at Napoleon's legs. On the extreme right, in the middle distance, is a tall Spanish don, much emaciated, wrapped in a cloak. He looks down with folded arms at a fat British officer beside him, who says: "I ll countenance Austria into our interests." The Spaniard: "I'll be damned if I go to meet a Frenchman in Prague, while there is a Frenchman to meet in Spain!!!" Behind them in the background a tiny Napoleon, wearing a grotesque crown and holding a sword, marches downhill at the head of his soldiers carrying flags; he has a melancholy expression and approaches the edge of a precipitous descent."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Satirist 1st September 1813
Description:
Title etched below image., Date of publication from text above image: Satirist 1st September 1813., and Plate from: The satirist, or, Monthly meteor, v. 13, page 193.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821, Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 1777-1825, Frederick William III, King of Prussia, 1770-1840, Francis I, Emperor of Austria, 1768-1835, Charles IV, King of Spain, 1748-1819, and Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821.
Subject (Topic):
Heads of state, Summit meetings, Cannons, Flags, Military uniforms, Daggers & swords, Crowns, and Chains
Title written in ink on lower left corner., Signature and date not in Rowlandson's hand., and This electronic record is derived from historic data and may not reflect our current information. Review and updating of records is ongoing.
"The Queen sits in profile to the right on a huge crown, her left foot on a footstool. She partly hides her face ... behind a fan inscribed C; in her right hand is a handkerchief. She is fat, very décolletée ..., with monstrous ostrich feathers in her hair."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Theodore Lane in the British Museum catalogue., Early state of a print published 21 July 1821 by G. Humphrey with the expanded title "A coronation stool, of repentance"; in addition to having a shorter title, this early state lacks the grimace on the Queen's face, the jewelry around her neck and on her hands, and the patterns on her dress and on the carpet beneath her. For the published state, see no. 14197 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 10., and Mounted on page 51 of: George Humphrey shop album.
Publisher:
G. Humphrey
Subject (Name):
Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821
Subject (Topic):
Crowns, Fans (Accessories), Feathers, Handkerchiefs, Obesity, Sitting, and Stools
"The Queen sits in profile to the right on a huge crown, her left foot on a footstool. She partly hides her face and an ambiguous grimace behind a fan inscribed C; in her right hand is a handkerchief. She is fat, very décolletée, and bejewelled, with monstrous ostrich feathers in her hair."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Theodore Lane in the British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed leaving thread margins.
Publisher:
Pubd. by G. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamesls St.
Subject (Name):
Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821
Subject (Topic):
Crowns, Fans (Accessories), Feathers, Handkerchiefs, Obesity, Sitting, and Stools
"George III, in back view, seated at a writing-table, tries to fend off members of the new Ministry who beset him with conflicting plans and proposals. He exclaims "What, What, What! [his habitual phrase] all Wrong! all Wrong." On his right Fox is seated, but falls back dismayed, his chair collapsing; he holds 'Proposals for a General Peace', saying, "I am certain John Bull will like my plan better than any of them, sign mine." Next him is Ellenborough, in wig and gown, his left hand on the back of Fox's chair, which (perhaps) he is causing to fall; he proffers a 'Plan of a New Mode of Justice', and says: "The only specimen among them of a knowledge of the Subject, Sign this." (The inclusion of the Lord Chief Justice in the Cabinet was much objected to, on constitutional grounds, see 'Ann. Reg.', 1806, pp. 28-33, and BMSat 10563.) Moira, in regimentals, kneeling on a chair on the extreme right., leans forward, one hand on Ellenborough's shoulder, to present a 'Project for improveing of Ordinance'; he says: "By St Patrick now, if you was to put the whole of them together you would not be able to make a bit of sense out of them, this is the only one for John Bull." Windham, next Ellenborough, faces the King, presenting a paper inscribed 'War on the Continent', and saying, "I say nothing more or less than that they are all bad but this". Behind him Tierney stands, profferring a blank paper; he says: "Only look at mine & you'll be convinced its quite the thing." The others are on the King's l. Sheridan, a pendent to Fox, leans forward with his paper: 'Manager of the Finan[ces]'; he says: "Here sign this, this is the only good plan of management, all complete nonsense compared with this" [the hopeless confusion and debt in which the finances of Drury Lane were involved by Sheridan's management are satirized]. He wears, under his laced coat, the chequered waistcoat and breeches of Harlequin, see BMSat 9916. Behind him is Grenville, his partly obscured paper inscribed on the; he says: "This is the only well digested plan pro bona [sic] Publico, you may depend upon it." Petty's paper is blank; he says: "This petty effusion of Ideas you'll find full of weighty argument on every subject I assure you." Erskine (the arch-egotist, see BMSat 9246, &c), in wig and gown, and with the Purse of the Great Seal, leans forward with a blank paper to say: "This is the only learned plan among them, which I have arranged, I' I' I." Sidmouth stands on the extreme left., clutching, but not proffering, a paper; he flinches from we clamouring Ministers, saying, "If this is the Union of Parties, I'll be disunited.""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Principles of democracy too prevalent
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement following imprint: Folios of caricatures lent out for the evening., Sheet trimmed to edge of plate mark on two sides., and Watermark: Strasburg Lily.
Publisher:
Pubd. March, 1806 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Tierney, George, 1761-1830, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, and Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844
Title from caption below image., Plate from book: Joe Lisle's play upon words, pub by Thomas McLean, 1828., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.