The Coalition ministers are gathered around the table placed in the mouth of a cave. On the left sits Lord North wearing armor under his cloak, a goblet in his left hand. Opposite him on the right is Charles Fox, dressed as a centurion and sitting on a fox. He leans on the table keeping his right hand on three dice signed, "Madras," "Bombay," and "Bengal," and clutching a dice box in his left. Behind him Admiral Keppel, the date of the battle of Ushant (1778) on his helmet, raises his goblet in a toast. Behind him Sheridan, with ass's ears and "School for Scandal" written across his head cover, watches the Duke of Portland count out money to Lord Carlisle. On Portland's shoulder leans Lord Cavendish in a centurion's armor under his cloak. Between him and North sits Burke in a Jesuit's outfit reading his own "Plan of oeconomy [sic]." Under the table lie the corpses of Lords Shelburne and Ashburton, ousted by the Coalition
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Early state, with title etched below image instead of within image. See British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark with probable loss of imprint statement. Publication information from British Museum catalogue., and Mounted on leaf 69 of volume 1 of 12.
Publisher:
E. Hedges?
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and England
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Keppel, Augustus Keppel, Viscount, 1725-1786, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Carlisle, Frederick Howard, Earl of, 1748-1825, Portland, William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of, 1738-1809, Cavendish, John, Lord, 1732-1796, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, and North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Costumes, Drinking vessels, Gambling, and Clothing & dress
In a possible burlesque of West's Death of Wolfe, a "wounded" Fox lies supported by his followers. He is held in the arms of Admiral Keppel, as Burke in monk's habit offers him a glass, and Mary (Perdita) Robinson applies smelling salts. North is to the right, swooning with grief and supported by Portland, while Sheridan kneels to the right in front of John Cavendish. Behind Fox at the far left the Prince of Wales kneels to kiss Perdita's unoccupied hand. A satire on the defeat of Fox's India Bill
Description:
Title from item., Print signed I.B. (i.e. John Boyne) in lower right of image., Probably a later state, with imprint removed, of a plate published by E. Hedges. Cf. No. 6367 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Date of publication based on that of probable earlier state. See British Museum catalogue., 1 print : etching with engraving and stipple on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 25.0 x 34.4 cm., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted on leaf 70 of volume 1 of 12.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and England
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Keppel, Augustus Keppel, Viscount, 1725-1786, Robinson, Mary, 1758-1800, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Cavendish, John, Lord, 1732-1796
