After the invasion

description below

“Three volunteers or militiamen, three-quarter length figures, exult at the head of Bonaparte which one of them (right) holds up on a pitchfork, saying, “Here he is Exalted my Lads 24 Hours after Landing.” The head is in profile to the left, the sharp well-cut features contrast with those of the chubby yokels. The centre figure, holding out his hat, says, turning to the left: “Why Harkee, d’ye zee, I never liked Soldiering afore, but some how or other when I though [sic] of our Sal the bearns, the poor pigs, the Cows and the Geese, why I could have killed the whole Army my own Self.” He wears a smock with the crossed straps of a cartouche-box. The third man (left) in regimentals, but round-shouldered and unsoldierly, says: “Dang my Buttons if that beant the Head of that Rogue Boney – I told our Squire this Morning, what do you think say’s I the Lads of our Village can’t cut up a Regiment of them French Mounsheers, and as soon as the Lasses had given us a Kiss for good luck I could have sworn we should do it and so we have.” All three have hats turned up with favours and oak-twigs, the favours being inscribed respectively (left to right): ‘Hearts of Oak’; ‘Britons never will be Slaves’, and ‘We’ll fight and We’ll Conquer again and again’. In the spaces between these foreground figures is seen a distant encounter between English horse and foot and French invaders, who are being driven into the sea, on which are flat-bottomed boats, all on a very small scale. Two women search French corpses; one says: “why this is poor finding I have emtied the pocketts of a score and only found one head of garlic 9 onions & a parcel of pill Boxes.” Cf. British Museum Satires No. 8145.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: After the invasion [graphic] : the levée en masse, or, Britons strike home.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. Augt. 6th, 1803, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [6 August 1803]

Catalog Record

802.08.06.01+

Acquired April 2023

The march of interlect

description below

“Caricature with a family of a working man, his wife and daughter dressed in fashionable clothes, with a cottage and pig on a dung-hill in the background.”–British Museum online catalogue.
A satire on the aspirations of the working classes. The affluently dressed dustman’s wife asks her husband if he has seen the latest issue of ‘La Bells Ass-emblee’ (John Bell’s La Belle Assemblée, or Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine).

 

  • Printmaker: Marks, John Lewis, printmaker.
  • Title: The march of interlect, or, A dust-man & family of the 19th century [graphic] / Marks fect.
  • Publication: London : Published by J.L. Marks, 17 Artillery St., Bishopsgate, [approximately 1824]

Catalog Record

824.00.00.64

Acquired November 2022

Boadicea, Queen of Britain, overthrowing her enemies

description below

“Caricature with Caroline as Boadicea in a chariot riding over her accusers, followed by a crowd of supporters.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Title: Boadicea, Queen of Britain, overthrowing her enemies [graphic] : humbly dedicated to Caroline, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.
  • Publication: [London] : Published November 1820 by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, London, [November 1820]

Catalog Record

820.11.00.03+

Acquired November 2022

Perspective view of the outside of the Royal Exchange in London

description below

“Exterior view of the Royal Exchange; looking down a busy street with carriages, carts and pedestrians, St Paul’s Cathedral in the distance to the left, the prominent entrance of the Royal Exchange with tower to right; in right foreground a man enters a shop with the sign “John’s Coffee”; after Loutherbourg and Chapman; published etched state.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Bartolozzi, Francesco, 1727-1815, printmaker.
  • Title: To the Right Honorable William Pitt, first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, Principal Secretary of State, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, this accurate perspective view of the outside of the Royal Exchange in London is (by permission) humbly dedicated by his most grateful, obedient, and most obliged humble servant, J. Chapman [graphic] / the delineation by Mr. Chapman, the figures by Lutherburgh, the graving of the plates by Bartolozzi.
  • Publication: [London] : Published as the act directs August 12, 1788, & sold by Mr. Chapman at Mr. Christie’s, Pall Mall, [12 August 1788]

Catalog Record

788.08.12.01++

Acquired April 2023

The falling of the new Brunswick Theatre

description below

“Interior of the theatre collapsing over people who are trying to escape, including a couple in the centre under the falling chandelier, some figures trapped under collapsed pillars, another couple on the balcony in the left middle distance.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Robert, 1789-1856, printmaker.
  • Title: The falling of the new Brunswick Theatre [graphic] / Robert Cruikshank fecit.
  • Publication: [London] : Published by J. Didsbury, 22, Southampton Street, Covent Garden, [1828]

Catalog Record

828.02.27.02+

Acquired November 2022

The blessing

 

description below

An austere-looking man with a shaved head and ragged clothes, kneels in prayer before his simple meal, unaware that as he recites his blessing, his cat is drinking from his bowl. On the table is a book on which lay his spectacles; his hat hangs off the back of his chair. On the wall behind them is a picture of the three crosses on Calvary.

 

  • Title: The blessing [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record

812.00.00.86 Impression 2

Acquired August 2022

Mrs. Clarke’s patent extinguisher

description below

“Mrs. Clarke sits on Wardle’s right shoulder, to place over the head of the Duke of York a giant extinguisher which covers all but his legs and (military) coat-tails. At the apex of the extinguisher is a five-pointed star surrounded by the letters ‘T’ ‘R’ ‘U’ ‘T’ ‘H’. She says: “Beneath this Canopy’s oblivious shade Detected Y——hides his diminished head” On the cone are the inscriptions: ‘Multum in Papvo’ [sic] and: ‘Now Phoenix like, with renovated fire To noble deeds our Army shall aspire Whilst haughty Gaul shall emulate its praise And England round a Woman’s brow entwine the Bays.’ Wardle wears regimentals and sword and is tall and handsome; a letter ‘To Col Wardle’ projects from a pocket.”–British Museum online catalogue.

Catalog Record

809.03.00.09+

Acquired April 2023

Does the harp of Rosa slumber

description below

An old woman in patched-up clothes with her harp huddles in a doorway. The satire contrasts the life of a street singer with the sweet lyrics of the popular ballad by Thomas Moore.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: Does the harp of Rosa slumber [graphic] / [man with an umbrella] Esqr.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket, London, [approximately 1829]

Catalog Record

829.00.00.117+

Acquired April 2023

Napoleon after the Battle of Maloyaroslavets

description below

Satirical print showing Napoleon after the battle of Maloyaroslavets (24 October 1812) during his Russian campaign (‘The Patriotic War’ in Russian parlance). He is vomiting fragments of plans and charts as well as a shattered anchor. In his hand he holds a large medicine bottle of emetic labelled in Russian: ‘Emetic. Pour Mr Napoleon. Heartfelt thank you, if only to take it more often. By order of the Russian army, from the pharmacy near Maly Yaroslavets’.

Catalog Record

812.10.24.01

Acquired April 2023

Iohn Bull makeing a naval enqury

description below

“John Bull, as a burly and ugly sailor, sits enthroned (right), listening to Melville’s plea of innocence. Melville, in Highland dress, and wearing a feathered bonnet, stands in profile to the right. with clasped hands and flexed knees; he says: “Indeed Mr Bull – I knaw nae more aboot it – than Johnny Groat o’the Highlands.” Trotter lurks behind him (left) furtively twitching his superior’s kilt, and jerking his thumb to the left.; he says: “Take my advice – and let us Trot off while we are well, he looks confounded inquisitive.” John scowls and glares pugnaciously, saying, “Why Look ye – de ye see – I dont come for to go for to say – exactly, that you sack’d the cole – all I say is the Shiners set sail – and as you had the care of the Hatches – it is, likely, you should know what Port they steer’d into! I say let’s look at your log book Old one.” He wears striped trousers and a knotted scarf; in his hat is a tobacco-pipe. His chair stands on a dais and is decorated with a crowned anchor and dolphins.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: Iohn Bull makeing [sic] a naval enqury [sic] [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 1st, 1805, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [1 April 1805]

Catalog Record

805.04.01.01+

Acquired April 2023