"Louis XVI sits fatly at a table, carving large pieces from a roast bird, a rolled paper in his pocket inscribed 'Route de Melz'; he turns back to an obsequiously grinning officer wearing a wig and ruffled collar and sleeves, who approaches from an open door to right, bowing and presenting an 'Ordre of la municipalite poor l'Arret de Monsieur Louis de Bourbon', the king saying 'Je me f- de tout cela Laisse moi manger tranqillement'; in the doorway are seen a short man with the fleur-de-lis on his arm and a whip who comments, 'Voila but for his dam guts we had been safe out of their reach', and five heavy-looking soldiers, all with skull-and-crossbone motifs on their bearskin hats. To left, Marie Antoinette stands looking in a mirror, adjusting her neckerchief and saying 'Come my dear Louis havn't you finish'd your two Turkeys & drank your six bottles, you know we shall dine at Mont medy', a fine hat on the chair in front of her. Behind to left, the Dauphin sits grimacing on a water-closet, clutching at himself; his nurse approaches him with a beaker and spoon, saying 'aha! mon Petit Bourbon de shi-ten luck be de good Luck'. On the wall, three frames, the first, titled 'Louis 14', shows a preening figure, nude to the waist with a fistful of thunderbolts, standing on the back of a prostrate figure with several others abject at his feet, a temple to right; the second lacks a picture, but has an upside-down notice stuck in it, reading 'Par le roy'; the third, 'Juillet 14 1789', is the storming of the Bastille."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image., Publisher's advertisement following imprint: ... where may be seen the largest collection of caracatures [sic] in the world, admita[nc]e 1 shilling., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., Mounted to 41 x 56 cm., Watermark., German translation of title in contemporary hand at bottom of sheet., and Numbered in ms. in lower left corner of sheet: 369.
Publisher:
Pub. July 24, 1791, by S.W. Fores, N. 3 Piccadilly ...
Subject (Geographic):
France
Subject (Name):
Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793, Louis XVII, of France, 1785-1795, and Marie Antoinette, Queen, consort of Louis XVI, King of France, 1755-1793
A scaffold extends across the foreground: Fox raises an axe to strike the neck of George III, whose head is held by Sheridan. The scaffold is surrounded by a dense and cheering mob. On the right is the gate of the 'Crown & Anchor' tavern, and from two projecting lamp-brackets swing the bodies of Queen Charlotte and Pitt. The houses of the Strand recede in perspective and terminate in Temple Bar, with two heads on spikes; clouds of smoke appear to come from burning houses east of Temple Bar. On the clouds a meretricious Liberty sits enthroned and triumphant.--British Museum catalogue
Description:
Title from caption inscribed in brown ink below image., Title inscribed twice on sheet and struck out once., Imprint statement inscribed in brown ink below title: Pubd. July 19th, 1791 by S.W. Fores No. 3 Piccadilly., Description of published Gillray print in Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6, no. 7892., Description of published Gillray print in Works of James Gillray, the caricaturist with the history of his life and times / edited by Thomas Wright. London : Chatto and Windus, [1873?], p. 130., and A 'counterprint' or transfer in brown ink appears on the verso of the mount from another print: A Birmingham toast, as given on the 14th of July by the Revolution Society.
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Charlotte, Queen, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804, Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
Subject (Topic):
Decapitations, Hangings (Executions), Executioners, Axes, Kings, and Crowds
"A scaffold extends across the foreground: Fox raises an axe to strike the neck of George III, whose head is held by Sheridan. The scaffold is surrounded by a dense and cheering mob. On the right is the gate of the 'Crown & Anchor' tavern, and from two projecting lamp-brackets swing the bodies of Queen Charlotte and Pitt. The houses of the Strand recede in perspective and terminate in Temple Bar, with two heads on spikes; clouds of smoke appear to come from burning houses east of Temple Bar. On the clouds a meretricious Liberty sits enthroned and triumphant. The King's neck rests on a narrow block, his shaved head appears bald, his legs are held up by Horne Tooke, who stands on the left, saying: "O, such a day as this, so renown'd so victorious, Such a day as this was never seen Revolutionists so gay; - while Aristocrats notorious, Tremble at the universal glee." From Tooke's pocket projects a paper: 'Petition of Horne Tooke' (against the return of Fox and Hood for Westminster, see British Museum Satires No. 7690). The King, who supports himself on his hands, says, "What! What! What! - what's the matter now". Fox, enormously stout, straddles behind the King, full face his axe raised in both hands; he wears a mask with large circular eye-holes and fox's ears; he says: "Zounds! what the devil is it that puts me into such a hell of a Funk? - damn it, it is but giving one good blow, & all is settled! - but what if I should miss my aim! - ah! it's the fear of that which makes me stink so! - & yet, damnation! what should I be afraid of? if I should not succeed, why nobody can find me out in this Mask, any more than the Man who chop'd the Calf's-head off, a Hundred & Forty Years ago - and so here goes!" Sheridan kneels in profile to the left holding the King by the ear and nose, he looks up at Fox with a sinister scowl, saying, "Hell & Damnation, dont be afraid give a home stroke, & then throw off the Mask - Zounds, I wish I had hold of the Hatchet." Priestley, behind Sheridan, leans towards the King, saying, "Don't be alarmed at your situation, my dear Brother; we must all dye once; and, therefore what does it signify whether we dye today or tomorrow - in fact, a Man ought to be glad of the opportunity of dying, if by that means he can serve his Country, in bringing about a glorious Revolution: - & as to your Soul, or any thing after death don't trouble yourself about that; depend on it, the Idea of a future state, is all an imposition: & as every thing here is vanity & vexation of spirit, you should therefore rejoice at the moment which will render you easy & quiet". He holds a paper: 'Priestley on a Future State'. Sir Cecil Wray stands with his right hand on Sheridan's shoulder, saying, "Here do give me a little room Joseph that I may be in readiness to catch the droppings of the Small Beer when it is tapp'd; I never can bear to see the Small Beer wasted Joseph!" He holds in his left hand a small cask, 'For Small Beer', and a large pipe; in his pocket is a paper: 'Plan of Chelsea Hospital by Sir Ceci[l] Wray'. The Queen is cruelly caricatured; she swings against Pitt, who is in a death agony with crisped fingers."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Mounted to 37 x 55 cm., and Collector's annotations on mount.
Publisher:
Pubd. July 19th, 1791, by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Charlotte, Queen, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804, and Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805
Subject (Topic):
Axes, Executioners, Hangings (Executions), and Crowds
"A scaffold extends across the foreground: Fox raises an axe to strike the neck of George III, whose head is held by Sheridan. The scaffold is surrounded by a dense and cheering mob. On the right is the gate of the 'Crown & Anchor' tavern, and from two projecting lamp-brackets swing the bodies of Queen Charlotte and Pitt. The houses of the Strand recede in perspective and terminate in Temple Bar, with two heads on spikes; clouds of smoke appear to come from burning houses east of Temple Bar. On the clouds a meretricious Liberty sits enthroned and triumphant. The King's neck rests on a narrow block, his shaved head appears bald, his legs are held up by Horne Tooke, who stands on the left, saying: "O, such a day as this, so renown'd so victorious, Such a day as this was never seen Revolutionists so gay; - while Aristocrats notorious, Tremble at the universal glee." From Tooke's pocket projects a paper: 'Petition of Horne Tooke' (against the return of Fox and Hood for Westminster, see British Museum Satires No. 7690). The King, who supports himself on his hands, says, "What! What! What! - what's the matter now". Fox, enormously stout, straddles behind the King, full face his axe raised in both hands; he wears a mask with large circular eye-holes and fox's ears; he says: "Zounds! what the devil is it that puts me into such a hell of a Funk? - damn it, it is but giving one good blow, & all is settled! - but what if I should miss my aim! - ah! it's the fear of that which makes me stink so! - & yet, damnation! what should I be afraid of? if I should not succeed, why nobody can find me out in this Mask, any more than the Man who chop'd the Calf's-head off, a Hundred & Forty Years ago - and so here goes!" Sheridan kneels in profile to the left holding the King by the ear and nose, he looks up at Fox with a sinister scowl, saying, "Hell & Damnation, dont be afraid give a home stroke, & then throw off the Mask - Zounds, I wish I had hold of the Hatchet." Priestley, behind Sheridan, leans towards the King, saying, "Don't be alarmed at your situation, my dear Brother; we must all dye once; and, therefore what does it signify whether we dye today or tomorrow - in fact, a Man ought to be glad of the opportunity of dying, if by that means he can serve his Country, in bringing about a glorious Revolution: - & as to your Soul, or any thing after death don't trouble yourself about that; depend on it, the Idea of a future state, is all an imposition: & as every thing here is vanity & vexation of spirit, you should therefore rejoice at the moment which will render you easy & quiet". He holds a paper: 'Priestley on a Future State'. Sir Cecil Wray stands with his right hand on Sheridan's shoulder, saying, "Here do give me a little room Joseph that I may be in readiness to catch the droppings of the Small Beer when it is tapp'd; I never can bear to see the Small Beer wasted Joseph!" He holds in his left hand a small cask, 'For Small Beer', and a large pipe; in his pocket is a paper: 'Plan of Chelsea Hospital by Sir Ceci[l] Wray'. The Queen is cruelly caricatured; she swings against Pitt, who is in a death agony with crisped fingers."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., 1 print : etching, hand-colored, on laid paper ; sheet 353 x 502 mm., Imperfect; sheet trimmed within plate mark with loss of imprint., and Watermark: A. Stace 18[...?].
Publisher:
Pubd. July 19th, 1791, by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Charlotte, Queen, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804, and Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805
Subject (Topic):
Axes, Executioners, Hangings (Executions), and Crowds
Byron, Frederick George, 1764-1792, attributed name
Published / Created:
[April 1791]
Call Number:
791.04.00.01+
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"Four men stand on the sea-shore, in back view but looking to the right: the King of Prussia stands between Holland (left) and Pitt (right); he holds Holland by the ear and kicks Pitt behind, saying, "This is the balance of Europe". Pitt, who is blindfolded, says, "yes I'll maintain it"; he holds out in each hand a naming fire-brand to two towns on the right, 'Cronstadt' and 'Rerel' [sic]. The whole district is in flames, and there are four other burning cities (one 'Riga'); the flames and smoke from all six merge and are inscribed 'Russia', 'Poland', 'Germany', 'Austria'. The sea which stretches between Pitt and the burning cities is the 'Baltic'. On it is a boat containing four men: the helmsman says, "I would rather be a Baltic trader"; the two oarsmen say, "Do not mind it, it will bring other wars" and "No prize money"; a man looking through a telescope says, "No Galeons - Storms, Sholas & Rocks." A man standing on the shore shouts to the boat "nothing good to be got by it." Frederick William, who wears crown, military uniform, and jack-boots, conceals behind him, half thrust into his coat-pocket, a paper: 'Danzic & Thorn'. Holland, a fat burgher, is smoking; he says "What a blessed Alliance". In his right hand is a paper: 'pyg--t O I hope all dis vill end in a Smoke.' The fourth man, who stands on the extreme left, is a British citizen who scowls as he reads a newspaper inscribed 'The Trade of the Baltic Lost - New Taxes Malt - Porter'. Across the sky stretches a large scroll inscribed 'The Cause of the War'; from it is suspended a tiny medallion: 'Ocsakow'."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Political blind-buff man, or, The ministerial expediency, Ministerial expediency, and Cause of the war
Description:
Title etched below image., Text etched within banner in top part of image: The cause of the war., Printmaker identified as Frederick George Byron by Andrew Edmunds., Publisher's advertisement below imprint: In Holland's Exhibition Rooms may be seen the largest collection of caricatures in Europe, admitce. one shilg., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Watermark in center of sheet., and Mounted to: 36 x 49.2 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 1791 by W. Holland, No. 50 Oxford St.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806 and Frederick William II, King of Prussia, 1744-1797