“Pushed by Knighton and pulled by Lady Conyngham, George IV, more corpulent than in other prints, walks in an ornate circular stand or support on castors (as used for toddling children, cf. British Museum satires no. 7497) towards Virginia Water (right), his fishing-rod against his shoulder. He wears a hat with a wide curving brim inscribed á la Townsend [cf. British Museum satires no. 10293], double-breasted tail-coat, breeches, and pumps; his right arm rests on the ring of the stand, in his hand is a small book: Old Izack [Walton]. From the stand dangles an ornate reticule: Fish Bag; the base is decorated with two fat squatting mandarins. Lady Conyngham looks over her right shoulder at the King, puffing from her effort, but singing Rule Britannia; the crossbar at which she tugs is a sceptre. She wears an enormous ribbon-trimmed bonnet and décolletée dress; the hook from the King’s line has caught in her dress which strains across her vast posterior as she leans forward. Knighton wears a court-suit with bag-wig and sword. He pushes with both hands with great concentration, singing, Send him Victorious. In his coat-pocket are a clyster-pipe and a paper: Petition of the Unborn Babes. A signpost terminating in a realistic hand points To Virginia Water. There is a background of trees and water.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
- Title: A fishing party [graphic] : what great enjoyments rise ‘from trivial things'”.
- Edition: [Later state with scroll added to Knighton’s coat-tails].
- Publication: [London] : Pub. June 27th, 1827, by S.W. Fores, Pciadilly [sic], [27 June 1827]
827.06.27.01+
Acquired March 2019