Chimpanzee

A chimpanzee holding a bowl stands in a landscape, a decorated frame surrounding the image. In the background left, a man shoots an arrow at chimpanzees climbing a palm tree, and on the right three chimpanzees play on the ground, one standing upright holding a stick.

  • PrintmakerScotin, Gérard Jean Baptiste, 1698-approximately 1755, printmaker.
  • TitleChimpanzee [graphic] / Scotin sculp. A.D. 1738 ; H. Gravelot ad vivum delint.
  • Publication[London] : [publisher not identified], publish’d Nov. 27, 1738, according to the late act.

Catalog Record 

738.11.27.01+

Acquired May 2017

The political warrior mowing down the Russian trade

“Pitt runs forward (left to right) to the waterside, a large sabre raised above his head, saying, “The Russian trade down the first”; he threatens a number of stranded ships with broken masts. The blade of his sabre is inscribed: ‘General War in Europe. Hartzberg Cutler Berlin’. In his left hand he holds up a paper: ‘Responsibility Unpd Debts £20,00000 Ditto 3000000 New Taxes . . . Taxes’. Above him is a scroll inscribed: ‘Under the Protection of the Commercial Treaty with France [see British Museum Satires no. 6995], or by the Armed Neutrality improved Trade of Russia carried by French bottoms’. On the right a man stands on a quay inscribed ‘Company of Russia Kay to be let’; he raises in both hands a headsman’s axe, inscribed ‘Hard Steel badly temper’d, to smite the masts of the ships below him’, saying, “Down with it [ ? or its] Poland its as well Vengeance”. Above his head, rays issuing from the upper right corner of the design, inscribed ‘Remote fate, no more wars M–rs [Ministers] ultimatum’, impinge on a semi-circle of cloud inscribed Confidence. On this stand five tiny gibbets, each with its pendent body. On the horizon is the open sea, on which are four French ships in full sail, the nearest flying a tricolour flag inscribed ‘la Nation la loi le Roi’. On the left, next Pitt, stands Thurlow, holding against his left shoulder the mace, which is labelled ‘Prerogative’ and ‘by G–d’ (cf. British Museum Satires no. 7320). In his right hand is a paper: ‘Law Authorities for rendering defensive treatys ofensive’. His Chancellor’s wig, over which is inscribed ‘Geographical Knowledge’, is divided into small sections, each inscribed with the name of a place: immediately surrounding his face are six portions each inscribed ‘Russia’; on his nose is ‘Poland’; above his forehead is ‘England’. Other places in juxtaposition are ‘Oczakow’, ‘Isle of Dogs’, ‘Botany Bay’, ‘Persia’, ‘Jordaine’, ‘Terras incognitas’, ‘Turin’, ‘Constantinople’, and ‘Antwerp’, ‘China’, ‘Swisserland’, ‘Africa’, ‘Nootka’, ‘Germany’, ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Paris’, ‘Pekin’, ‘Patagonia’, ‘France’. In the background on the extreme left is a building: ‘National Assembly’, with the cap of Liberty surmounting a tricolour flag inscribed ‘French liberty benefitted by the blunders from the English M–r’. From the door issues a label inscribed ‘oui oui une adresse de tanks a Mr P–t’. From the Assembly walk two kings, France and Spain; they say (pointing to Pitt): “How he plays our game” and “Bravo! bravo! bravo!””–British Museum online catalogue.

  • TitleThe political warrior mowing down the Russian trade [graphic].
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. by Wm. Holland, No. 50 Oxford St., April 7, 1791.

Catalog Record

791.04.07.01+

Acquired May 2017

A crop shop

The interior of barber shop: On the left a man stands before a mirror, face contorted as he wipes his jaw, unaware of the boy behind him pointing and laughing at him as he holds the man’s pigtail in his hand. Another customer is shown in the center seated on a chair, the barber behind him about to cut off his pigtail as well. The third man sits in a chair on the right, reading a newspaper; his lower head is also shorn of its pigtail. The room show other customers as well as stands for wigs. Above the door on the right hangs a sign “R. Crop’em, hair dresser”, a second sign beneath reads “Shave for a penny. Crop for two penny.” Through the window on the left in the back, is a display of ladies’ hats.

  • PrintmakerNewton, Richard, 1777-1798, printmaker.
  • Titlecrop shop [graphic] / R.N.
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. Octr. 8, 1791, by W. Holland, No. 50 Oxford St., [8 October 1791]

Catalog Record 

791.10.08.02+

Acquired May 2017

The English ambassador and his suite before the King at Madrid, 1790

“The King of Spain sits on a circular dais under a canopy, turning his head away from the English ambassador (left), a stout John Bull wearing top-boots behind whom stand four pugilists. Three Spaniards with pikes stand on the extreme right behind the throne, and three courtiers stand in the background. The King wears a short tunic and ruff with a feathered hat; all the Spaniards have long upturned moustaches, all look dismayed. Three of the pugilists are inscribed: ‘Big Ben’ [Benjamin Brain], ‘Humphries’, and ‘Mendoza’; the fourth is Ward. Beneath the design is etched: ‘Great Sir, I am arrived from Albion’s Court, Who have taken in Dudgeon what you may think Sport; So it may for the present; but we’ll soon make it appear, You’ll have reason to laugh the wrong side of your ear! Our Traders in Nootka, by some of your Curs, Were all sent to Quod and robb’d of their Furs, Your right so to do which you claim from the Pope, We Britons dont value the end of a rope! It’s a farce you may make your weak Subjects believe, But our right’s equal to yours from Adam and Eve. Therefore if you don’t make us immediate amends, No longer can we look upon you as Friends, Should you wish for a War we have got a new race, Of such brave fighting fellows, not the Devil dare face! A sample I’ve brought, only four of our men, Mendoza, Dick Humphries, Joe Ward, and Big Ben: So great is their power each Lad with one blow, Would knock down an Ox, or twelve Spaniards lay low, At home we can raise twelve hundred like these, That would crush all your Troops as easy as fleas. For Centuries past England’s rul’d o’er the main, And if it please Heavn’n hope to do so again. Thus with Sailors and Bruisers we your power defy, Being determin’d to conquer or fight till we die!'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • CreatorByron, Frederick George, 1764-1792, attributed name.
  • TitleThe English ambassador and his suite before the King at Madrid, 1790 [graphic] / J.N. 1790.
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. by Wm. Holland, No. 50 Oxford St., May 12, 1790.

Catalog Record 

790.05.12.01+

Acquired May 2017

Christmass boxes

A satire, divided into quarters, with four small scenes of different episodes of persons trying to collect their Christmas boxes. In the first square in the upper left, a plump supplicant in an apron holds out his hat to a scowling-faced man with a kerchief tied over his hat and a walking stick under his arm as they meet in a road outside a building with a lamp. Behind him on the wall is a sign posted “Miser’. In response to the request, the miser says “Give you a Christmass box. Curse you don’t I pay you for your meat.” On the top row, right, a thin man (a grave digger?) with a pipe in his mouth, bows to an obese clergyman, with a fat dog at his heel, as they stand in the graveyard of a church. The gravedigger asks, “Most worthy Parson give me a Christmass box.” The Parson replies, “Give you a halter you rascal. What should I give you a Christmass box for.” In the lower left, clergyman shakes his walking stick at a surprised man who is carrying a large box on his back and secured with a strap over his forehead. The clergyman says to the laborer, “If you ever ask me for a Christmass box again, I’ll physic you to death.” They are standing in front of building with a lantern and sign that reads “Gargle Apothycary.” The fourth square, lower right, shows old, hag-faced woman with a hat and muff standing in a parlor as she slaps the face of an astonished footman. She tells him, “Take that you saucy rascal for a Xmass box!” He replies, “What’s that for. I did not want a box on the ear, not I.”

  • PrintmakerNewton, Richard, 1777-1798, printmaker, artist.
  • TitleChristmass boxes [graphic] / drawn & etchd. by Rd. Newton.
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. by Wm. Holland, 50 Oxford St., Decemr. 25, 1794.

Catalog Record 

794.12.25.02+

Acquired May 2017