Tag Archives: Daggers and swords

A congress for peace

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“Plate from the ‘Satirist’, xiii. 193. In the text the title continues ‘. . ., “alias” War’. A satire on the Congress of Prague. Four sovereigns, completely unlike the men in question, in conference. The Tsar sits behind a small rectangular table on which are displayed implements of war in miniature: cannon, pyramids of cannon-balls, muskets, swords, drums, &c., and flags on one of which are fleurs-de-lis. On the left stand the King of Prussia and the Emperor of Austria, on the right is Napoleon. Alexander extends his hands rhetorically, turning to the left, with a puckered scowl, to say to the two Germans: “Come Gentlemen see first if you can agree–if not we’ll all fight!” He has quasi-Kalmuck features, and wears an odd-shaped crown, an ermine-bordered robe, with a jewelled necklace and a Greek cross. Frederick William III, on the extreme left, clutches the hilt of his sword and puts his left hand to his cocked hat as if ready to doff it, he turns to Francis I, towards whom a label issues from his mouth: “I am ready to treat or to fight”; a second label floats to the left, inscribed ‘Infernal Scoundrel’. Francis I, looking distracted, stands directed to the right, legs apart, and in his left hand is his sabre, the blade of which curves over the Tsar’s head, but both hands touch his crown, and he says: “I will wear an independant Crown.” He wears hussar uniform, cloak, sash, and elaborately embroidered tunic and pantaloons. Napoleon, tall and burly, with heavy whisker and aquiline profile, wears a plumed bicorne with tricolour cockade and very tattered uniform leaving his legs almost bare, with one dilapidated jack-boot and one damaged stocking; he has a long sword. He stands aggressively with arms dramatically extended, saying, “My Friends! all we wish is Peace.” A chain is attached to each great toe, which is fastened to the necks of two miserable princes, tiny figures standing between his outstretched legs. One (left), Charles IV of Spain, wearing a crown and robe, grotesquely knock-kneed and despairing, stands full-face. The other, wearing a crown with uniform and sword, stoops in profile, looking up abjectly at Napoleon’s legs. On the extreme right, in the middle distance, is a tall Spanish don, much emaciated, wrapped in a cloak. He looks down with folded arms at a fat British officer beside him, who says: “I ll countenance Austria into our interests.” The Spaniard: “I’ll be damned if I go to meet a Frenchman in Prague, while there is a Frenchman to meet in Spain!!!” Behind them in the background a tiny Napoleon, wearing a grotesque crown and holding a sword, marches downhill at the head of his soldiers carrying flags; he has a melancholy expression and approaches the edge of a precipitous descent.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Brooke, William Henry, 1772-1860, printmaker, artist.
  • Title: A congress for peace [graphic] / Satirist invt. ; W.H. Ekoorb [that is, Brooke] delt. et fecit.
  • Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], [1 September 1813]

Catalog Record

813.09.01.02

Acquired September 2023

Johnny Bull on the look-out

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“John Bull (right), a fat citizen wearing spectacles, holds aside a curtain, revealing Napoleon and Joséphine enthroned, side by side. He stands in profile to the left, a large pistol under his left arm, his left hand in his coat-pocket. He says: “Boney – Boney, that wont do – You must not Play my King & Queen.” Napoleon, wearing a huge bicorne, a drawn sabre in his right hand, frowns at John. Joséphine wears a crown, holds sceptre and orb and looks complacently to the left. Both sit with right foot planted regally on a stool, and left leg arrogantly thrust forward.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: Johnny Bull on the look-out, or, Bonaparte detected drilling his rib at the play of King & Queen of England [graphic] : scene St. Cloud.
  • Publication: [London] : Publish’d Septr. 12, 1803, by Laurie & Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, London, [12 September 1803]

Catalog Record

803.09.12.01

Acquired November 2023

The governor of Europe stoped [sic] in his career…

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“Napoleon, trampling over the map of Europe from ‘Germany’ to the ‘British Channel’, drops his sabre and raises his left leg, leaving behind the front part of his left foot, planted on the coast and sea between ‘Holland’ and ‘France’. The foot has been slashed off by a little John Bull, who stands on the ocean pointing down at the two islands of ‘Great Britain’ and ‘Ireland’, towards which the amputated foot points. John holds a dripping sword, and looks up at the angry giant, saying, “I ax pardon Master Boney, but as we says Paws off Pompey, we keep this little Spot to Ourselves You must not Dance here Master Boney.” Blood gushes from both sides of the amputation. Bonaparte, who wears his huge cocked hat, shouts, with gestures of pain and anger: “Ah you tam John Bull!! You have spoil my Dance, !! You have ruin all my Projets!!” ‘Switzerland’ and ‘Italy’ are also marked on the map in close proximity to France.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The governor of Europe stoped [sic] in his career, or, Little B-n to [sic] much for great B-te [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 16, 1803, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [16 April 1803]

Catalog Record

803.04.16.01

Acquired November 2023

The first exploit of the modern Quixote

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“Burdett in armour stands with legs astride, sword raised, left fist clenched, making an onslaught on a book which is on the ground, its pages slashed and tattered. On these are fragments of inscriptions: ‘Red Book for the . . .’; ‘Treasury’; ‘Pensions’ [twice]; ‘Pensions 4000, 3000, 2.400’; ‘Teller o the Ex[chequer] . . . 6000 4.000’; ‘Sinecu[res]’. He declaims: “I will not stop, – till I have cut out the accursed leaves of the Red Book!!!” His sword-blade is ‘Took’s Improved Steel’. On the right Tooke peers at him, holding aside a curtain; he says: “Come Come my pupil goes on better than I expected – very indeed for a beginning yes – yes – he’ll do after a little practice” [see British Museum Satires No. 10731, &c.]. He holds a book: ‘Diversions of Purley’ [see (e.g.) British Museum Satires No. 9020]. On the left John Bull, dressed as Sancho Panza with a short tunic and ruff, gapes at his master, his hands on his knees. He says: “What the deuce is he at now! he will certainly get himself into some scrape or other.” Mambrino’s helmet (the barber’s basin) lies at Burdett’s feet; it has a tricolour cockade and three feathers.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The first exploit of the modern Quixote, or, John Bull turned Sancho Panza [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. June 1807 by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill, [June 1807]

Catalog Record

807.06.00.05+

Acquired February 2024

Actor of all work

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“Wellington sits behind a small cloth-covered table flanked by eight other representations of himself, as depicted in recent caricatures, apparently all by W. Heath. The arrangement is evidently that of Charles Mathews’ ‘At Homes’, see British Museum Satires No. 14714, &c., Wellington, like Mathews, being in propria persona at the table. In this guise he wears the robes (indistinguishable from Coronation robes) and collar of the Garter and the order of the Golden Fleece and a (crown-like) ducal coronet; his head is turned in profile to the right. Immediately below him, the head and hands of another Wellington, who is crouching on the floor, project from the tablecloth; he grasps a royal crown, and wears a cap coloured blue and resembling a tam-o’-shanter, but perhaps intended for a coronet. The other Wellingtons, all standing (left to right): [1] A mute as in British Museum Satires No. 15501, in profile to the right. [2] A Grenadier, full-face and rigidly at attention, much as in British Museum Satires No. 15768, but without the musket. [3] A ratcatcher stooping to the left and touching his hat, the cage in his left hand (cf. British Museum Satires No. 15806). [4] Aged and cloaked, wearing spectacles, with bowed head, he clasps a cross in both hands. [5] The old woman in a soldier’s coat of British Museum Satires No. 15721, facing, and apparently in angry altercation with, the seated Wellington. [6] The coachman of British Museum Satires No. 15731, in profile to the left, holding shaft and lash of his whip as if they were the reins of a four-in-hand which he is driving. [7] Wellington in uniform, directed to the left, wearing his plumed cocked hat and holding up with a furtive expression a sword with a damaged blade in a dilapidated scabbard. [8] A mummy-case with an aperture to show Wellington’s head with the forefingers compressing his mouth; below the aperture is the word ‘Mum’. (Apparently from a satire on Wellington’s silence as to his intentions on Catholic Relief until the eve of the opening of Parliament, see British Museum Satires No. 15659.) There is a background of curtains. Cf. British Museum Satires No. 15787.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: Actor of all work [graphic] / [man with an umbrella] Esqr.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. June 15, 1829, by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket …, [15 June 1829]

Catalog Record

829.06.15.01+

Acquired May 2023

The consequence of invasion, or, The hero’s reward

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“A very fat and jovial volunteer, dressed as a light horseman, holds ln his left hand a pole on which is the head of Napoleon in profile to the right. and wearing a huge cocked hat decorated with plumes, tricolour cockade, gold lace, and tassels. The hand that holds the pole holds also, by the hair, a bunch of bleeding heads which form a grisly garland round it. In his right hand is his sabre. He is surrounded by women; two embrace him, others hasten up; he swaggers with raised left leg, saying, “There you rouges, there! there’s the Boney Part – twenty more killed them!! twenty more killed them too!! I have destroyed half the Army with this same Toledo.” The women say, respectively: “Bless the Warrior that saved our Virgin charms”; “take care I’ll smother him with Kisses”; “Oh! what frightful Heads how ravishing they look, – they would have used us ill I am sure”; “ha ha, thats, that great man little Boney, how glum he looks.” An elderly spinster exclaims: “ah bless him he has saved us from Death and Vileation.” A handsome woman turns to a tall young man in civilian dress on the extreme left, saying, “There you Poltroon look how that noble Hero’s Caressed!” He turns away, saying, “Ods Niggins I wish I had been a Soldier too then the Girls would have run after me – but I never could bear the smell of Gun powder”.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The consequence of invasion, or, The hero’s reward [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. August 1st, 1803, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [1 August 1803]

Catalog Record

803.08.01.01+

Acquired April 2023

The York sparring match, being M.A. Clarke’s first set

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“Mrs. Clarke stands just within the House of Commons triumphing over her opponents and victims. She strikes a member (Croker) with a rapier, while holding up in her left hand a letter headed My dear Mrs Clark. She tramples on a military officer who lies prone; a paper under his hand is inscribed Genl [Clav]ering. Her antagonists have dropped their swords, which lie broken on the floor. Her large muff lies beside her with a bundle of Love Letters. Croker tries to escape, exclaiming, By Jasus she’ll give us 100 Cuts in 60 thrusts. Perceval rushes off, with a mutilated hand, saying, I am Struck dumb, and lost my thumb! I Percieve all. Another (the Attorney-General) exclaims: Oh! dear! Oh dear! she has cut off my Ear Ex officio. A little man whose nose has been cut off, exclaims: What dreadfull blows–Witness my Nose, my Honeys. In his pocket is a paper: Memorandum for Mr Hague [see British Museum Satires No. 11211]. A tall man (Yorke, see British Museum Satires No. 11535) shouts, raising his arms: Take her into custody–She will be to much for us–send her to York Jail. Shadowy figures watch the encounter. A corner of the gallery is seen, crowded with eager spectators. Two men watch from the lobby (right).”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The York sparring match, being M.A. Clarke’s first set to, & who is likely to become the champion of all England [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. March 1st, 1809, by Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, [1 March 1809]

Catalog Record

809.03.01.01+

Acquired April 2023