64 N849 818
Acquired November 2020
“The interior of a tent. Duroc, in his shirt, lies supported by a soldier on a wooden bed, while Napoleon (right) holds his right hand, turning away (to the right) and covering his face with his left hand. An officer stands solicitously beside the Emperor, supporting his left elbow. Another officer stands (left) behind the head of the low bed. On the extreme left a soldier bends over a table compounding medicaments. Duroc’s coat and sword lie on a camp-stool, beside his hat and boots. A glimpse of the distant camp is seen on the extreme right, where a Mameluke stands by the tent holding Napoleon’s horse. Duroc is addressing the Emperor, with his left arm extended. Their words are etched below the title: “Duroc, “My whole life has been consecrated to your service, nor do I regret its loss, but for the use it still might have been of to your Buonaparte, “Duroc!” there is a life to come; it is there you are going to wait for me, and where we shall one day meet again!” Duroc, “Yes Sire! but that will not be these thirty years, when you will have triumphed over your enimies [sic], and realised all the hopes of your country, I have lived an honest man: I have nothing to reproach myself with, ah! Sire! go away this sight gives you pain–Be, “Farewell then my friend”.”–British Museum online catalogue.
813.06.09.01
Acquired November 2020
A small print depicting a scene from Homer’s Odyssey as he sails back to his home in Ithaca: Two Laestrygonian, who are giants, one who upends one Odysseus’s ships as other eats one of the men as the fail into the sea. The high cliffs of Lamos is in the distance on the right.
800.00.00.105
Acquired November 2020
“Social satire; Pitt the Younger portrayed as a monkey, with regalia and his crown hanging on a chain around his neck, in a field labelled “Windsor Park”; below the image a text explains that this animal is confounding naturalists, who suppose it to be an offspring of the devil.”–British Museum online catalogue.
795.07.02.02+
Acquired November 2020
“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.
808.02.23.01+
Acquired November 2020
659 704Ac
Acquired November 2020
763 819 R332
Acquired November 2020
An older gentleman is on horseback strapped into a contraption that limits the horses movement (as such, it won’t move above a trot pace), limits any jolting movements and also provides shade and cover through the attachment of an umbrella. In the left background, a horseman struggles to control his horse as a panicked lady watches on and his top hat flies off behind him. To the right a male onlooker peers through his monocle in awe of the timid horsemen’s contraption.
830.01.01.09+
Acquired November 2020
“Satire on the election for County Durham, 14 April 1784: Sir Thomas Clavering and Sir John Upton, one headless, holding a caption labelled ‘The Irish Faction for ever’ and carrying the other, who has no feet, on his back, who says ‘I serv’d you as long as I could stand’ and carries captions lavelled ‘Coal owners Bill’ and ‘A command in India’; both seated on an ass facing left, which brays ‘Thus I go to Parliament and am not the first Ass that has farted for preferment, but this is dirty work and hard Labour’ and which has a collar labelled ‘I speak for my Master / Populus me sibilat at plaudo ipse domi’ and strips at the saddle labelled ‘Curse all Pitts / But a Coal-Pitt’; with the ass’ droppings falling on a crest with the motto ‘Diem Perdidi’; a mitre, crozier and sword and label ‘At rest’ on the ground in the centre, playing cards and papers labelled ‘Turnpike Speech / Election Speech’ to left; a milestone to right labelled ‘From Durham / T: C / J: E / 14 April 1784’.”–British Museum online catalogue.
784.00.00.80
Acquired November 2020
“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.
808.03.00.04+
Acquired November 2020