- Title: The Corsican dissected [graphic].
- Publication: London : Pubd. Aug. 14, 1803, by W. Holland, No. 11 Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, [14 August 1803]
803.08.14.01+
Acquired January 2021
The Corsican dissected
Reply
Tag Archives: John Bull
Spectres visiting Iohn Bull
“John Bull, a fat ‘cit’, is seated beside a writing-table (right) holding up a large book. On the left hand page is inscribed ‘Vote of Thanks respecting the Expedition to Copenhagen’; John’s pen rests on the last word, but he turns in horror to gaze at the ghosts of (left to right) Fox, Pitt, and Burke. These wear shrouds and stand on clouds; all point a menacing forefinger. Fox says: “Erase those lines from your Journal”; Pitt and Burke say “Erase”. Burke wears spectacles and a Jesuit’s biretta (cf. British Museum Satires No. 6026), and holds a large book inscribed ‘Sublime & Beautiful’ [cf., e.g., British Museum Satires No. 6361]. John wears glasses, his hair rises on his head, pushing up his ill-fitting wig. He says: “Why dont you come then and transact the business yourselves? – it is impossible I can please every body. – it is come to such a pitch now that I have no peace either with the living or the dead!!!””–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
- Title: Spectres visiting Iohn Bull [graphic].
- Publication: [London] : Pubd. Feby. 23, 1808, by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill, [23 February 1808]
808.02.23.01+
Acquired November 2020
Perusing the state papers
“Napoleon, John Bull (a ‘cit’), a British general wearing a star, and the Duke of Portland sit in conference, each holding a large double paper covered with type or script. Napoleon sits on the left, pointing to the text of his paper and saying to his neighbour, “You see Mr Bull the case is simply this If you do so, I’ll do so!” John, much disconcerted, stares at the Emperor, exclaiming “O! O!” The general also looks at Napoleon, perturbed. Portland (right), who sits in an armchair facing the Emperor, with frank dismay says: “If he says O! O! I’m afraid t’is but so! so!”.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
- Title: Perusing the state papers, or, Sounding the opinions of John Bull [graphic].
- Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], March 1808.
808.03.00.04+
Acquired November 2020
The corn bill, or, Iohn Bull and his hobby
“Mr. and Mrs. Bull are in their breakfast parlour; she sits beside a table on which is a tray with coffee-pot, &c, he stands booted and spurred, impatient to set off. Through an open doorway (right) a groom is seen holding a saddle-horse. Behind are the houses of a London street. Mrs. Bull reads with dismay the ‘[M]orning Post’; she cries: “Here Mr Bull here’s the Speech of that fellow on the Corn Bill – You must stop and hear this – The Price of Corn is yet Far Below the Price which is universally allowed to be Necessary!!!! why we shall all be starved Mr Bull.” He shouts, with outstretched arms: “D——n the Corn Bill! I have not time to think of any thing till the Election is over. – why Liberty and Independence is at stak [sic] – What is Starving to that Mrs Bull!” Both are very fat, and evidently prosperous.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
- Title: The corn bill, or, Iohn Bull and his hobby [graphic].
- Publication: [London] : Pubd. Augt. 20th, 1804, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [20 August 1804]
804.08.20.03+
Acquired November 2020
Iohn Bull on a bed of roses
“John Bull, a plebeian, stout and dishevelled, lies on his back on a tangle of large roses with vicious thorns. These are on a heap of stones and under the stump of a decayed oak tree (left). He exclaims: “Oh Lord! Oh Lord! if this be the Bed of Roses they make such a noise about I’d sooner lye with the Old Sow and her Farrow in the Dog Days! – My Dame will roar woundidly when she comes to bed! Ecod it’s as bad as lying on a Harrow upside down.” The stones (left to right) are ‘Expedition to Holland’ [1799, see British Museum Satires No. 9412, &c], ‘Expedition to Ferrol’, ‘Jobs and Contracts’, ‘Pension List’, ‘Indemnity for the past & Security for the Future’, ‘No Peace possible with the child and Champion of Jacobinism’, ‘Places’, ‘Subsidies’. The roses are: ‘Candle Tax’, ‘Hair Powder Tax’, ‘Hat Tax’, ‘Paper Tax’, ‘Snuff Tax’, ‘Game Tax’, ‘Wine Tax’, ‘Property Tax’, ‘Salt Tax’, ‘Land Tax’, ‘Stamp Tax’, ‘Assessed Taxes’, ‘Income Tax’, ‘Table Beer Tax’, ‘House Tax’, ‘Window Tax’, ‘Excise Duty’, ‘Horse Tax’, ‘Tobacco Tax’, ‘Soap Tax’, ‘Servant Tax’, ‘Malt Tax’, ‘Hop Tax’, ‘Sugar Tax’, ‘Legacy Tax’, ‘Tea Tax’, ‘Cyder Tax’. On the two extremities of the ‘bed’ are clusters of thorny buds; these are inscribed ‘1807’, ‘1808’, and [once] ‘1809’, those on the left being labelled ‘National Debt’. In the distance St. Paul’s is indicated. Bushes on the right are wind-swept.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
- Title: Iohn Bull on a bed of roses [graphic].
- Publication: [London] : Pubd. July 1806 by Wm. Holland, Cockspur Street, [July 1806]
806.07.00.01+
Acquired November 2020
Here we go up up up and there he goes down down downe
A satire of the 1832 Reform Bill, with a see-saw with the Crown as the fulcrum. At the center is William IV, waving the Union flag; to the right is Lord Grey, seated on the lever, helping William balance with a scroll marked ‘Union’, with John Bull standing underneath, wedging the lever up with the ‘Reform Bill’; and to the right the Duke of Wellington tumbles backwards as the lever breaks under the weight of him and two huge scrolls marked ‘Anti Reform’.
- Title: Here we go up up up and there he goes down down downe [graphic].
- Publication: London : Pubd. by O. Hodgson, 10 Cloth Fair, [ca. 1831]
831.00.00.50
Acquired November 2020
The blessed effects of a united cabinet
“George IV, seated on the throne, watches a display of jovial fraternization between John Bull and Pat, who dance, holding hands, each holding up a hat decorated respectively by rose and shamrock. A lanky garland of (thornless) roses and giant shamrocks drapes the crown on the back of the throne; one end is held up by Wellington (right), on the King’s left, the other by Peel on his right, so that the King is framed by it. J. B. is an obese and drink-blotched “cit”, with a snuff-box inscribed ‘Irish’ in his waistcoat pocket. Pat is a ragged Irish peasant, his bare legs swathed by twisted straw; his shillelagh lies on the ground; he looks with a broad but appraising grin at J. B., who sings: “Together reared together grown, Oh! let us now unite in one, Let friendship rivet the decree, Nor bigots sever Pat and Me!!!” Two discomfited ‘bigots’ depart on the left; one is a gouty parson using a crutch, with a ‘Petition against Concession’ hanging from his pocket, cf. British Museum Satires No. 15661, &c. The other is a Catholic bishop in robe and mitre. They say: ‘It’s time for us to be off.’ Above their heads flies a figure of Discord, her hair consisting of snakes which spit flame towards J. B. The King, with extended arm, says: ‘No more let Bigotry distract the Nation, Nor Priestcraft nurture lawless passion, Henceforth let rage and tumult cease, As brothers live and die in peace!!!'”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Jones, Thomas Howell, active 1823-1848, printmaker.
- Title: The blessed effects of a united cabinet, or, The glorious march of intellect [graphic] / T. Jones fect.
- Publication: London : Pubd. April 1829 by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly, [April 1829]
829.04.00.17+
Acquired December 2020
The grand coronation of Her Most Graceless Majesty C-r-l–e Columbina
“A burlesque coronation of the Queen. She sits enthroned on a dais, raising her right foot with tipsy joviality. In her right hand as sceptre is a rod topped by a tiny cask which a naked Bacchus bestrides. The orb in her left hand is a decanter; on her head is a tilting punch-bowl. She watches her champion Wood (left) (acting the part of Dymoke, cf. British Museum Satires No. 14193), a grotesque figure in armour on a caparisoned ass (see British Museum Satires No. 14146). He has just thrown down the glove, pulling his braying mount on to its haunches, and looks up with a fatuous stare at the Queen. His helmet is topped by an owl from which clouds of smoke ascend (cf. British Museum Satires No. 14196). John Bull (right), a ‘cit’ wearing an ill-fitting wig and top-boots, stoops to pick up the glove, supporting himself by a cudgel inscribed My God My King a[nd my] Country. Between these two foreground figures stands a ragged newsboy holding his horn, the paper in his cap inscribed Brandy burgh [cf. British Museum Satires No. 14191] Gazette; slung from his shoulders is a large sheaf of his newspaper, Brandyburg Gazette Extraordinary–Baron B…..i to be Il Baron par Excellence–Ad- W – – d to be Earl Log [see British Museum Satires No. 14189]–Lady A H [Anne Hamilton] to be Spinster for Life–L. H – – d to be Marquis Doodle. Attendants are grouped round the Queen on the dais, which is under festooned curtains. These are (left to right): Denman and Brougham, in wig and gown, applauding and gesturing; two turbaned Turks; Bergami, handsome and complacent, at the Queen’s right hand. Slightly behind are a simian face, Lady Anne Hamilton wearing the feathered Scots cap of British Museum Satires No. 14175, and another woman, Italian in appearance (probably Countess Oldi). Behind the Queen’s chair on the right are two hooded figures, the more prominent, who holds a decanter, being Viscount Hood, the other perhaps Keppel Craven. Two naval officers must be Hownam and Flinn. On the canopy of the throne behind the Queen are her arms; the quarterings are wine-glasses, bottles, a tent (see British Museum Satires No. 13818), and a bath containing a tiny figure (see British Museum Satires No. 13819). The supporters are a satyr and a goat; the motto, Bergami and My Bottle [see British Museum Satires No. 14175]. On the extreme left, supported on Gothic arches, is a gallery crowded with ladies, as in Westminster Abbey at the Coronation. On a lower level, seen through the arches of the Abbey, is a dense proletarian crowd with banners, pikes, and caps of Liberty. The characters are indicated by inscriptions divided by vertical lines, as in British Museum Satires No. 14182, and centred by a cartouche. These are (left to right): Mobility in Attendance. The Champion of Absolute Wisdom [see British Museum Satires No. 13899] on his renowned Steed. The Keepers of her Majesty’s Conscience [her Counsel]. Her Majesty’s Lord Great Chamberlain Her Majesty’s Privy Counsellor Knight Commander of the Bath Chief Performer of the Canopy Service and Courier Extraordinary [Bergami]. Hooded Doodles in Waiting [Lord Hood and his companion]. Barons of the Bedposts. Performers of the Canopy Service [the naval officers]. In the cartouche: If any Person of what degree soever, high or low, shall deny or gainsay our Puppet C . r . l . . e Columbina [see British Museum Satires No. 14120] of Brandy-burgh House, of the United Kingdoms of Soberness and Chastity, Defender of the easy Virtues &c &c the Right of being Crowned with a crown Bowl of Imperial Punch, or that she should not enjoy the same, here is her Champion, who saith he doth not care a Drug, being ready in person to lay a bet that she is, and in this wager will venture his Eighteen Pence against a Shilling wherever, and whenever his Adversary may choose.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, printmaker.
- Title: The grand coronation of Her Most Graceless Majesty C-r-l–e Columbina, the first queen of all the radicals &c &c &c, July 19th, 1821 [graphic].
- Publication: London : Pubd. by G. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s Street, August 6th, 1821.
821.08.06.01+
Acquired March 2020
Mr. John Bull in a quandary
An unfinished sketch for the engraving which appeared in the November 1845 issue of “George Cruikshank’s Table-book,” illustrating a brief article on railroad speculation by the periodical’s editor, Gilbert Abbott a Beckett. John Bull is beset by lilliputian tormentors who are removing all his cash, clothing, and possessions, beneath clouds of steam and a clanging bell.
- Artist: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, artist.
- Title: Mr. John Bull in a quandary, or, The anticipated effects of the railway calls [art original].
- Production: [England], [ca. 1845]
Drawings C889 no. 8 Box D115
Acquired July 2020
Iohn Bull as Justice weighing a commander
“John Bull, blindfold, stands on a massive truncated pillar holding the beam of a pair of scales. In one scale (left), near the ground, Mrs. Clarke sits composedly among a mass of papers, holding one inscribed My dear Dearest Dearest Darling [see British Museum satires no. 11228, &c.]. The others are inscribed: Sandon, Toyne [Tonyn], Dowler, Omeara, Carter, French, Knight, Clavering. In the other scale the Duke of York swings high in the air, and shouts down to three men on the ground: Save me save me Save my Honour [cf. British Museum satires no. 11269]. They haul hard at ropes attached to his scale, which they tilt sideways so that he is in danger of falling out. One, a drink-blotched bishop wearing a mitre, says: Pull away Pull away the Church is in danger; the other two say: Pull away Pull away we lose all our Places, and Pull away pull away we shall lose our Noble Commander. On the pillar Britannia is depicted seated with her shield and lion; she holds the broken staff of a flag.”–British Museum online catalogue.
- Printmaker: Cruikshank, Isaac, 1756?-1811?, printmaker.
- Title: Iohn Bull as Justice weighing a commander [graphic].
- Publication: [London] : Pubd. by J. Johnstone, 101 Cheapside, April 1809.
809.04.22.02+
Acquired September 2019