more

Two panels from a sequence of eight designs, arranged in two rows, titled "Democracy - or - a Sketch of the Life of Buonaparte." [Left] Democratic Gratitude. Buonaparte heading the Regicide Banditti which had dethron'd & Murder'd the Monarch, whose bounty had foster'd him: Bonaparte stands in back-view directing with outstretched sword the demolition and plundering of a stone building, already on fire. A man with an axe on a ladder smashes a royal escutcheon. Plunderers issue (right) carrying off bags, chests, etc. Plate, coins, jewels, and orders are heaped at Bonaparte's feet and an obsequious soldier empties a sack. On the left is a band of ragged soldiers with a tricolour flag. They have firebrands, a pick-axe, pikes, etc. On 13th Vendémiaire (5 Oct. 1795) Bonaparte commanded the troops by which the Convention was defended from an insurrection which was partly royalist. [Right] Democratic Religion. Buonaparte turning Turk at Cairo for Interest, after swearing on the Sacrament to support ye Catholic Faith: Bonaparte sits cross-legged on a sofa, smoking a hookah, while a Turkish priest puts a turban on his head. A fat Turk (left) reads from a book, while another whets a knife. On the right is a group of dismayed French officers. Behind are impassive Turkish priests with folded arms. An arc of an ornate tent forms a background (BM).

Two panels from a sequence of eight designs, arranged in two rows, titled "Democracy - or - a Sketch of the Life of Buonaparte." [Left] Democratic Innocence. The young Buonaparte & his wretched Relatives, in their native Poverty, while Free Booters in the Island of Corsica: The interior of a wretched hut, a fire burning on an open hearth, a tattered cloth hanging from a line. On a heap of straw sits a fat ragged woman, nursing an infant who pulls her nose. Five ragged children fight round an empty dish (on an upturned tub) for a large bare bone which one (Napoleon) has seized and is gnawing. The father enters, carrying on his back a lean chamois. His dog barks at an angry cat who has caught a rat. An axe and sword hang from the rough stone wall. A grotesque travesty of the household of Carlo and Letizia Buonaparte. [Right] Democratic Humility. Buonaparte, when a boy, received thro the King's bounty into the Ecole Militaire at Paris: A stiff Court Chamberlain, like Lord Salisbury in caricature, leads by the hand the barefooted and ragged little Bonaparte, who advances trembling towards the chair at which sits the officer in command of the school, holding out his hand to the child in a friendly manner. On the table before him are plans of forts, books. Three small cadets in uniform stand beside him. Crossed foils are on the floor. In the background beneath a portrait of Louis XVI (decapitated by the upper margin) are two rows of boys. There are a small cannon, a globe, a diagram of sword exercises, etc. Bonaparte, in 1779, aged nine, was admitted to the military school at Brienne, his expenses defrayed by Louis XVI (BM).

Two panels from a sequence of eight designs, arranged in two rows, titled "Democracy - or - a Sketch of the Life of Buonaparte." [Left] Democratic Innocence. The young Buonaparte & his wretched Relatives, in their native Poverty, while Free Booters in the Island of Corsica: The interior of a wretched hut, a fire burning on an open hearth, a tattered cloth hanging from a line. On a heap of straw sits a fat ragged woman, nursing an infant who pulls her nose. Five ragged children fight round an empty dish (on an upturned tub) for a large bare bone which one (Napoleon) has seized and is gnawing. The father enters, carrying on his back a lean chamois. His dog barks at an angry cat who has caught a rat. An axe and sword hang from the rough stone wall. A grotesque travesty of the household of Carlo and Letizia Buonaparte. [Right] Democratic Humility. Buonaparte, when a boy, received thro the King's bounty into the Ecole Militaire at Paris: A stiff Court Chamberlain, like Lord Salisbury in caricature, leads by the hand the barefooted and ragged little Bonaparte, who advances trembling towards the chair at which sits the officer in command of the school, holding out his hand to the child in a friendly manner. On the table before him are plans of forts, books. Three small cadets in uniform stand beside him. Crossed foils are on the floor. In the background beneath a portrait of Louis XVI (decapitated by the upper margin) are two rows of boys. There are a small cannon, a globe, a diagram of sword exercises, etc. Bonaparte, in 1779, aged nine, was admitted to the military school at Brienne, his expenses defrayed by Louis XVI (BM).

A group of lawyers, six seated, two standing, all old, ugly, and caricatured. Above their heads devils with fishing-rods lean over a high barrier or wall, dangling baits. One lawyer, younger and less ugly than the rest, has swallowed a bait and is being drawn upwards, his wig falling off. The others wait with feigned unconsciousness, or gape for the bait. One man (left) studies a paper (BM).

A bedroom scene. Lady Hamilton, grotesquely fat, but with traces of beauty in her features, rises from a curtained bed, arms and one leg extended in a burlesqued gesture of despair. She wears a nightgown and lace-trimmed cap. Behind her in the shadowed depths of the bed the night-capped head of her elderly and (?) sleeping husband, rests on the pillow. She looks, weeping, towards an open sash-window through which is seen a fleet sailing towards the horizon. In the window (left) is a cushioned window seat on which (besides a stocking) is an open book. On one page is a nude woman lying in sensual abandonment. On the right against the curtains of the bed is a dressing-table on which, besides toilet-articles, are a flask of 'Maraschino,' a 'Composing Draught,' and a pot of 'Rouge à la Naples.' On the carpeted floor (right) are objects from Sir W. Hamilton's collection, with an open book. On the right page is a satyr chasing a nymph. They include an oval gem, a figure of a squatting monster, headless, a laughing bust, statues of a Venus and a Satyr, and coins or medals. In front of Lady Hamilton are the slippers she has kicked off and a garter (BM). / A rather exaggerated picture, as far as rotundity goes, of the mistress of the celebrated Nelson. The attributes of the picture allude to circumstances of the life and character of the lady, and to the antiquarian pursuits of her husband. She is said to have sat to the artist for the positions given in the volume known as "Lady Hamilton's Attitude" (Wright/Evans)

Bust portraits of seven leaders of the Opposition, each with his almost identical double, arranged in two rows, with numbers referring to notes below the title. The first pair are Fox, directed slightly to the left, and Satan, a snake round his neck, his agonized scowl a slight exaggeration of Fox's expression. Behind them are flames. Next is Sheridan, with bloated face, and staring intently with an expression of sly greed. His double clasps a money-bag. Next, the Duke of Norfolk, looking to the right, scarcely caricatured, but older than in contemporary prints. His double, older still, crowned with vines, holds a brimming glass to his lips, which drip with wine. (Below) Tierney, directed to the right, but looking sideways to the left. Burdett, in profile to the right, with his characteristic shock of forward-falling hair, trace of whisker, and high neck-cloth, has a raffish-looking double with similar but unkempt hair. Lord Derby, caricatured, in profil perdu, very like his simian double, who wears a bonnet-rouge terminating in the bell of a fool's cap. Next, the Duke of Bedford, not caricatured, and wearing a top-hat, has a double wearing a jockey cap and striped coat. After the title: "If you would know Mens Hearts, look in their Faces" Lavater (BM).

Dumouriez (right) sits in a gothic chair (reminiscent of the Coronation chair), at the royal dinner-table. Three cooks advance towards him, wearing bonnets-rouges with tricolour cockades, aprons, and over-sleeves. They are Fox, the foremost, proffering the steaming head of Pitt. At his belt, in place of a cook's knife, hangs a dagger. Sheridan, on Fox's left, proffers a dish on which steams a broken royal crown. On the extreme left Priestley enters in profile to the right, holding up a dish containing a mitre. The dishes have a garnish of frogs. All look with eager courtesy towards Dumouriez, who sits with famished expectancy, a dagger in one hand, a fork in the other. He is much caricatured, thin, and unshaven, with straggling hair and long pigtail. He wears a large feather-trimmed cocked hat, lace ruffles, a gold-laced and ragged military tunic, a tattered shirt over bare legs. His plate bears the royal arms. Other gold plate is in the form of inverted coronets and of a Communion cup with the letters 'SIH' (reversed). Two spoons are decorated with the red hand of a baronet. These objects indicate that Dumouriez has come to overthrow the monarchy, the Church and hereditary rank. On the back of his gothic chair is a red cap of 'Libertas.' Below the design: To the worthy Members of the Society at the Crown & Anchor, this Print illustrative of Treasons in Embryo (by them hunted out & exposed) is submitted by an admirer of their principles & truly classic publications (BM). / On Dumourier's desertion from the service of the French Republic. He was at this time understood to be on his way to England (Wright/Evans).

Dumouriez (right) sits in a gothic chair (reminiscent of the Coronation chair), at the royal dinner-table. Three cooks advance towards him, wearing bonnets-rouges with tricolour cockades, aprons, and over-sleeves. They are Fox, the foremost, proffering the steaming head of Pitt. At his belt, in place of a cook's knife, hangs a dagger. Sheridan, on Fox's left, proffers a dish on which steams a broken royal crown. On the extreme left Priestley enters in profile to the right, holding up a dish containing a mitre. The dishes have a garnish of frogs. All look with eager courtesy towards Dumouriez, who sits with famished expectancy, a dagger in one hand, a fork in the other. He is much caricatured, thin, and unshaven, with straggling hair and long pigtail. He wears a large feather-trimmed cocked hat, lace ruffles, a gold-laced and ragged military tunic, a tattered shirt over bare legs. His plate bears the royal arms. Other gold plate is in the form of inverted coronets and of a Communion cup with the letters 'SIH' (reversed). Two spoons are decorated with the red hand of a baronet. These objects indicate that Dumouriez has come to overthrow the monarchy, the Church and hereditary rank. On the back of his gothic chair is a red cap of 'Libertas.' Below the design: To the worthy Members of the Society at the Crown & Anchor, this Print illustrative of Treasons in Embryo (by them hunted out & exposed) is submitted by an admirer of their principles & truly classic publications (BM). / On Dumourier's desertion from the service of the French Republic. He was at this time understood to be on his way to England (Wright/Evans).

Dundas as a colossus (a shah or bashaw of the Indies) straddles across the ocean, one foot on the roof of the India House (left), the other on a piece of land on the extreme right representing Bengal. In the sea below his outstretched legs are several ships in full sail making for Bengal. Dundas wears a turban and crown, a cloak and oriental tunic with a kilt, bare knees and tartan stockings. His turban is inscribed. His arms are extended above his head pointing to, and nearly grasping, a sun in the upper left corner of the design and to a crescent moon in the upper right corner. Both have faces which look down with dismayed surprise at Dundas, who looks towards the sun. Beneath the title is inscribed: '"One Foot in Leadenhall Street, & the other in the Province of Bengal." Vide Mr D-s Speech' (BM).

On a small plateau on the top of a mountain the Princess of Wales (left) reaches up to kiss the Prince of Wales (right), who has the body, horns, and beard of a fat goat. He kneels on one knee, his forelegs round her waist. Her arms are round his neck. A star and ribbon are indicated on his body. She wears her coronet with three tall feathers, and her draperies swirl about her. In the middle distance are two rocky pinnacles. On one (left) three men dance hand in hand: Loughborough in back view wearing his Chancellor's wig and gown, the Duke of York wearing a cocked hat and his star, and Lord Cholmondeley. From the other, Lady Jersey (with the arms and legs of a goat) staggers backwards, she has horns, and three feathers fall from her head. Lord Jersey, with the body of a goat and long horns, is about to fall. They are being hurled from the rock by thunderbolts inscribed with the King's well-known phrase. The words issue from heavy clouds, showing that it is the King who has overthrown them. Behind them is the sea with a small island flying a flag (BM). / A satire on the resignation of Lady Jersey (on 25 June) and the supposed reconciliation of the Prince and Princess. It was announced in the papers that, owing to the intervention of the King and the good offices of the Duke of York and Lord and Lady Cholmondeley, the Prince had returned to Carlton House and dined with the Princess (BM).

An enormously fat lady stands in profile to the left, holding a bowl (resembling a punch-bowl), her left hand on her hip, holding up the frilled apron which drapes her quilted petticoat. She wears ringlets with a small ribbon-trimmed straw hat poised on the side of her head. Her girth is accentuated by her quasi-peasant costume, with laced bodice, and flowered over-dress looped up in festoons, giving her a globular contour (BM). / Lady Buckinghamshire in the character of Cowslip, which she performed in the private theatricals at Brandenburgh House (Wright/Evans).

Depicted is the trial of O'Connor, who confesses to making an Irish-French alliance, before the presiding judge Buller. Testifying to the character of O'Connor are various members of the opposition. Starting at the right: Fox, Sheridan, Erskine, Duke of Norfolk, and Grattan (BM).