The preservation of Sir Richard MacGwire

The preservation of Sir Richard MacGwire

“A young man being hauled out of the water by men in a fishing boat, one holding onto a pole he clutches, another supported by his companions, as he reaches out over the side of the boat to seize the drowning man’s jacket; with three gentlemen in a boat behind to right and a hot-air balloon sinking in the waves in the background; after Barralet.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Printmaker: Ward, William, 1766-1826, printmaker.
  • Title: The preservation of Sir Richard MacGwire [graphic] : who fell into the sea (by the descent of a balloon) off the coast of Ireland, on the 12th of May, 1785 / J.J. Barralet ad vivum delint. ; W. Ward sculpt.
  • Publication: [London] ; [Dublin] : Published as the act directs June 4th, 1787, by Thos. Milton, No. 40 Great Queen Street, Lincolns Inn Fields, London, and by J. James Barralet, in Dublin, [4 June 1787]

Catalog Record 

Drawer 787.06.04.02

Acquired June 2019

Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia

Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia

“A companion print to British Museum Satires Nos. 6700, 6701, 6703. An enormous balloon not completely inflated rests on a platform suspended between two masts; it is exploding, flames and thick clouds of smoke pour from a crease in its contour, a number of men with faggots on their backs run from the balloon, others are on the platform, which is covered by a large cloth or net which hangs in folds. In the air (left), as if having sprung from the exploding part of the balloon, is a small balloon in the form of a head, identical with that in British Museum Satires No. 6704, with the same inscription and passenger. From it streams, in place of a rope, the tail of a kite. This evidently represents the bursting of Keegan’s balloon in the garden of Foley House. “–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Sandby, Paul, 1731-1809, printmaker.
  • Title: Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [1784]

Catalog Record 

784.00.00.79+

Acquired April 2019

The golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up

“A sequel to British Museum Satires no. 6438. George III, seated on a balloon, points downwards with his sceptre to an image of Pitt (right) as a naked child, on a column which is inscribed ‘Family Presumption’. The king looks down at North, Fox, and Burke, saying, “I command you O Shadrach Mesech & Abednego!” The three stand (left) in attitudes expressing intense self-righteousness; they say: “Know O King we will not worship ye Golden Image”; on each head rests a tongue of flame. They stand outside a dilapidated building on the extreme left inscribed ‘St Stephens’, shored up by a beam, whose base is at their feet, inscribed ‘Resolutions Unrescinded’. From its coping-stone flies an ensign flag inscribed ‘Firm S.P.Q.B.’ The king’s balloon is inscribed ‘Prerogative’; its lower axis emits a blast inscribed ‘Gracious Answer’. Behind the balloon and Pitt are clouds inscribed ‘Breath of Popularity’. Pitt stands sucking his finger (cf. British Museum Satires no. 6417); on his head is a sugar-loaf surmounted by a flag inscribed ‘Feby 28′, an emblem of the Grocers’ Company which had entertained him on that day, see British Museum Satires no. 6442. Kneeling figures do obeisance before the image of Pitt, those in the foreground representing the least reputable trades: a lamplighter (left), with his ladder and oil-can, kneels in profile to the right; a butcher prostrates himself; a chimney-sweep kneels with clasped hands; a ragged scavenger, his shovel and basket beside him, kneels in profile to the left, the basket stands on a paper inscribed ‘[Worshipfu]ll Company of Scavenger[s]’. In the foreground lie papers inscribed ‘Garret Address’ (an allusion to the mock elections of Garratt), ‘Address’, and ‘The worshipfull Company of Chimney Sweepers’. A crowd of kneeling figures (left) is worshipping the idol; they hold standards, three of which are inscribed ‘Bristol’, ‘Westminster’, and ‘London’, representing the addresses to the king which had been compared by Fox to those made to Charles II, see British Museum Satires no. 6438, &c.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • PrintmakerCollings, Samuel, printmaker.
  • TitleThe golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up [graphic] / Annibal Scratch del. et sculp.
  • Publication[London] : Pub. by W. Wells, No. 132 Fleet Street, March 11th, 1784.

Catalog Record

784.03.11.05+

Acquired May 2017