"Satire on the expected effect of a return of John Wilkes to parliament. Wilkes as Hercules leaps over the fallen figure of Discord to seize the arm of the Speaker, Sir John Cust, as members flee in all directions. In the front, to right, is Fletcher Norton, holding a bag of money while other coins fall from his pocket as he steps over the mace, lettered "A Mere Bauble" (quoting Oliver Cromwell). In the background, on a pedestal decorated with the mournful figure of Britannia, a bloated figure squats over "Magna Charta". It has three heads, a wolf, a snake and a sheep; one outstretched hand is in the form of a claw, the other holds a bag of money. Behind this figure, Lord Bute, emerges raising hands in shock at the sight of Wilkes/Hercules."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from text above image., Two lines of text below image: The figure on the pedestal is the symbol of bribery, corruption & hypocrisy., Plate from: The Political register and London museum. London : Printed for J. Almon [1767-1772], v. 2 (1768), page 193., and Temporary local subject terms: Mythology -- Influence: Lord Bute's influence -- Emblems: Speaker's mace -- Bags of money -- Personifications: Bribery, Corruption and Hypocrisy -- Weapons: mace.
Two medallions side-by-side contrast British Liberty and French Liberty. On the left Britannia is seated under a large oak looking out to sea at a ship under full sail. At her feet lies the British lion, in her hands the scales of justice and a copy of the Magna Charta. On the right French Liberty, Medusa-like, tramples on a decapitated body, as she holds a trident impaled with a head and two hearts. In the background a body hangs from a street lamp shaped like a gibbet. Beneath the images, a list of contrasting virtues and vices of the two countries
Description:
Title etched above images., Printmaker, artist, and publication date from British Museum catalogue., Text in lower right corner of plate, preceded by the word "Price" that has been mostly burnished out: Plain 3d coloured 6., Six lines of text below each image. Under the image of British Liberty: Religion, morality, loyalty ... Under the image of French Liberty: Atheism, perjury, rebellion ... At the lower edge, below both columns: Which is best., and Mounted to 32 x 45 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
France
Subject (Topic):
Medusa (Greek mythology), Britannia (Symbolic character), Decapitations, Hangings (Executions)., Liberty cap, Liberty, Scales, Ships, History, and Foreign public opinion, British
Title from item., Printmaker, artist and imprint from an earlier state in the British Museum online catalogue. This state without imprint, possibly by a different publisher., In lower right corner of plate: Price 3d plain, coloured 6d., Six lines of text below each image: Religion, morality ... (under the image of British Liberty), Atheism, perjury ... (under the image of French Liberty), with additional line below both columns: which is best., Later state, without the publication line, of No. 8284 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7., Temporary local subject terms: British Lion -- Liberty: allusion to Magna Charta -- Symbols: scales of Justice -- Ships -- Symbols: ship with the Union Jack as symbol of power -- Medusa as personification of French liberty -- Executions: Street lantern as gibbet -- Lighting: street light -- Decapitations -- Weapons: daggers., and Watermark: Strasburg bend with initials G R below.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Topic):
Britannia (Symbolic character), Liberty cap, and Medusa (Greek mythology)
