"A wild affray round a circular gaming-table seen at close range, only the heads and shoulders of those on the nearer side of the table being visible. An angry military officer wearing a cocked hat, with an empty wallet on the table before him, leans forward aiming his pistol at a lean and elderly man whose 'chapeau bras' and long pigtail indicate that he is French. The latter covers a pile of guineas with his hand and aims a pistol at his assailant. Some of the players are falling over in their eagerness to escape. Between the combatants, and on the further side of the table, one man holds a chair above his head, about to smite the officer; a fellow-officer raises a bottle and a candle-stick to strike the Frenchman. All the persons (sixteen) are in violent action, with which their expressions correspond. Some are in flight, others about to intervene. On the table are a triple candle-stick, a dice-box and dice, a sword, a hat containing coins, and a purse."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image., Printmaker's signature from impression in British Museum., Description based on imperfect impression; sheet trimmed within plate mark and printmaker's signature has been mostly erased., and Watermark: J. Whatman.
Publisher:
Publish'd March 1790 by Wm. Holland, Oxford Street
Subject (Topic):
Candlesticks, Fighting, Gambling, Handguns, Men, French, Military uniforms, and British
"A slim man, standing, 'chapeau-bras', in profile to the right. He is fashionably dressed in a high-collared coat cut back to form tails, and shirt frill; his shoes have very large buckles. His hair is in a queue resembling that worn by the Macaronies c. 1772 but smaller and attached to the back of his head instead of falling on his shoulders. Beneath the title is etched, 'These Species of Insects, of late are become exceeding numerous, (like the Green Louse, when first brought to Amsterdam, from a single one, has proceeded such Swarms as to be of alarming Consequence) their Colours' are various, '& cast their Coats like the Camelion, sometimes to ten different Shades of a day, it is difficult to distinguish the Male of these Reptiles from the Female, as the Voice & Manner approaches nearer to the Feminine than Masculine. Liquor they are peculiarly fond of, and when in a State of Inebriation are so troublesome, that it requires a stout Cane to keep them from stinging you. They are in being all the Year round, are chiefly to be found in the Boxes of the Theatres, Publick Gardens, Concerts, &c. You may hear them long before they come to View, by a shrill squeak of Bern me, Gad Zounds, Blood & Thunder, D------m'd Boar & such Phrases. The celebrated Linneus attributes their Generation to the Putrified Essence of Lavender, Bergamot, Marchalle Powder, Violets, Pomatums, Snuff, Grease &c. &c. Although their first Appearance has a terrible Aspect, they are as harmless and inoffensive, when sober, as New Born Babes. A Buckling of this Species, differs from a Buck, much in the same manner as a Hornet to a Wasp'."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state
Description:
Title etched below image., Questionable attribution to Rowlandson from the British Museum catalogue and Grego., Probably an early state; price statement, which seems to be partially or completely burnished away in later states, is present here. For a probable later state lacking price, see no. 6718 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., "Price 6d, col[ore]d 1s."--Following imprint., Temporary local subject terms: Fashionable men -- Fashion -- Allusion to Charles Furtado., and Mounted to 45 x 29 cm.
Publisher:
Pub. as the act directs, 12th May, 1784, by a Lover of Natural History
"Three sailors sitting on trunks on board a ship, grimacing as they read papers. At centre one points to his paper, saying, 'Did you ever hear such palaver Jack - Just before an Action'; his paper is inscribed, 'nothing opposes the individual esteem entertaind for your excellency by your faithfull servant / J Moore / Cadiz'. At left, a sailor reads a paper inscribed, 'I am your Excellrncys most Humble Servant / Rossily'; his trunk is lettered 'Will bo[...]'. At right the third says, 'Be quiet you lubbers, you dont know how to be polite - one of the Mounseers has ax'd me a little time, before I blow him up, and see what a civil letter I have sent him.'; his trunk is lettered 'Junk' and his paper, 'Mounseer / I had the honor of your this morning, and if you don't surrender by six in the evening, I'll be d-d if I dont blow you up / yours / to command / Jack Junk'. On the floor in the foreground, a tankard of 'Grog', a pipe and broadsides, one of which is headed 'True courage'; a cannon behind at left. Reissue by Fores of a print originally published c. July 1808."--British Museum online catalogue and "In May-July 1808, at the beginning of the Peninsular war, the British fleet helped to defend the Spanish in Cádiz from the French fleet led by Rosily; the British officer John Moore left England for Portugal in July 1808. The imprint indicates a reissue, giving the address line used by Fores in 1818-19."--Curator's comments, British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
British sailors perusing the dispatches from Cadiz
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker identified as Rowlandson in the British Museum online catalogue., Date of publication from the British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1948,0214.697., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Publisher:
Pub. by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly & 312 Oxford Street
Subject (Name):
Moore, John, Sir, 1761-1809. and Rosily-Mesros, François de, 1748-1832.
Subject (Topic):
Peninsular War, 1807-1814, Sailors, British, Decks (Ships), Luggage, Newspapers, Cannons, Drinking vessels, and Pipes (Smoking)
"A wide space leads to the harbour. On one side (left) is the corner of a large old clothes shop: 'Moses Levy Money Lent', with garments, &c., hanging from it. Opposite is the old-fashioned 'Ship Tavern'. Off shore are ships in full sail, boats are making towards them. In the foreground is a bustle of departure: baggage is being carried, casks are rolled, sailors and their women embrace or fight; a one-legged sailor plays a fiddle, a child plays with dogs. At the door of the 'Ship' an officer takes leave of his family; from the bow-window above spectators lean out, an officer using a telescope."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image., Publisher and publication date from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Variant without complete publication date of no. 12408 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 9., and Watermark: 1800.