La derniere cuvée

description below

“French soldiers are being cooked or drowned in a big round vat built of stone, under which a fire is burning. Blücher (left) and Wellington (right) stand over the vat, holding long-handled perforated ladles with which they skim the surface of the water, fishing out the soldiers. Blücher (left), saying “Mon cher Welington je commence a écumer j’espere que vous me Seconderez,” holds on his level ladle a hussar in large busby, braided tunic, and boots. Wellington holds up on his (tilted) ladle a man hanging head downwards. Beside the vat (right) is a rocky cone from a fissure in which the flames of Hell emerge; Cerberus, a monster with three serpentine necks and webbed wings, reaches from the opening towards Wellington’s captive, and devours his legs with two of his great jaws. Wellington answers: “mon ami Blucher je sais pret a vous suivre mais surtout travaille fort cette nuit.” Other soldiers struggle to get out or sink back hopelessly. An eagle (standard) projects from the water, on which float many tricolour cockades. Wellington’s victim, who has a moustache, is not Napoleon, who is a subordinate figure, struggling to get out, and extending his arms towards Wellington.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Title: La derniere cuvée [graphic].
  • Publication: A Londre [i.e. France?] : [publisher not identified], 1815.

Catalog Record

815.07.00.01+

Acquired May 2020

Le plan de campagne de 1806

description below

A French satire on the British administration, who are gathered around a table with bottles and glasses (two of which are toppled over) and a battle plan (’Plan de Berlin’) drawn on the tablecloth. In1806, French forces under Napoleon occupied Prussia, pursued the remnants of the shattered Prussian Army, and captured Berlin.

 

  • Title: Le plan de campagne de 1806, ou, Les deliberations des politiques anglais sur la guere [graphic].
  • Publication: A Paris : Chez Martinet, [1806]

Catalog Record

806.00.00.54+

Acquired May 2020

The celebrated Clark

see description below“Mrs. Clarke auctions commissions from a rostrum to a crowd of bidders, while the Duke of York acts as her clerk. All are unconscious of a net in which they are enclosed, and with which the Devil flies off into flames (right). Mrs. Clarke (right), in profile to the left, with raised hammer, holds out a paper headed Commission. She says: Going for no more than £500 a Commission Positively worth 5000. An officer, probably Dowler, see British Museum satires no. 11253, holds out his arms towards her, saying, my dear dear dear Angel Knock it down to me or I am ruin’d. Another says: Let the good Bishop [the Duke, see British Museum satires no. 11227] have the Game & we my Boy will have the Cream. The other applicants are in civilian dress; one says to the bidder: my dear fellow dont be so anxious for depend upon it these tricks will be Found out & all will be Lost. The Duke of York, in uniform, records the bids in a book, his pen resting on the figure 500. He says Thus am I content to record & ratify the Destruction of the Army, my Country & myself, rather than loose my dear DARLING to [cf. British Museum satires no. 11228]. The Devil looks over his shoulder at Mrs. Clarke to say with a baleful grin: Going, Going Gon you may now say, for I have You tight enough my dear Honey.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: The celebrated Clark, exalted to the pulpit by the humility of a royal bishop [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. 22nd April 1809 by J.H. Warl, London, [22 April 1809]

Catalog Record 

809.04.22.01+

Acquired September 2019

 

Arrogance (or nonchalance) of the Tenth retorted

see description below

“Two designs side by side. BALL ROOM. A repetition of British Museum satires no. 14646 [2]. The M.C. has no wand, but holds an opera-hat; he says: ‘Will you accept of this Lady for a partner, Sir?’ The hussar, who lounges with hands in pockets and both legs over the back of a chair, answers: ‘Shew her off!–Trot her out!! let us see her foine legs’. A civilian standing behind the lady (left) laughs: ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! So this is one of the extra polite Dandies of the Tenth‘. Two fellow officers stand beside the first. One says: ‘No! Tenth don’t daunce!!’ [cf. British Museum satires no. 14643A]. The other inspects the lady through an eyeglass, saying, ‘Zounds, Dam-me!’ DRAWING ROOM. The lady of the ball-room stands beside another; both are young and pretty and in ball-dress. The officer (right) bows from the waist, pointing the left toe, left hand on hip and holding up an eye-glass. He is without pelisse and sword. The second lady, holding up a fan, says: ‘Sir this is the Lady you desired me to Trot up to you.’ The lady in question also bends from the waist, pointing a toe, inspecting the officer through an eye-glass. She holds a lighted candle, saying, ‘No–Wont do! Trot him out!!–Trot him out!!'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Robert, 1789-1856, printmaker.
  • Title: Arrogance (or nonchalance) of the Tenth retorted [graphic] / R. Cruikshank fecit.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. April 1824 by J. Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, [April 1824]

Catalog Record 

824.04.00.02+

Acquired August 2019

 

Simptoms of courage!

see description below

“British troops are about to march through a large fortified gate leading from open country (left) to the town of Buenos Ayres, where confused street-fighting is in progress. Can are fired from the battlements of the gate at the soldiers, some of whom lie dead or wounded. In the foreground an officer (mounted), in conversation with others, asks: “where is the General”; others say: “go look for the General”; “Find the General”; “why the General is lost”. A Highland officer, taking snuff (right), slyly; “I dare say he is varra safe.” From the country (left) three mounted men gallop, all saying, “I come for Orders”. In the background Whitelocke’s head and shoulders are seen peeping over a hillock on the extreme left. He says: “He that fights and runs away, May live to fight another day, But he thats in the Battle slain, Will never live to fight again”. In the distance, behind him, are tiny (British) soldiers in close formation. In the city men are firing and hurling stones from the roofs of flat-roofed houses on British soldiers in the plaza. On the wall (right) is a placard: ‘Lost, or Mis-led a General officer Who ever can [give] Information … ampl[y] rewarded.'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Isaac, 1756?-1811?, printmaker.
  • Title: Simptoms of courage! [graphic] / G. Whiteliver del.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, March 26, 1808.

Catalog Record

808.03.26.01+

Acquired June 2019

The green bag, it’s contents & all it’s appendages

The green bag. Detailed description below.

“A hand, ‘Manus Populi’, extends into the design from the upper margin, holding a chain from which hangs a pair of scales. On one (right), close to the ground, sits the Queen, hands crossed on her breast, saying: “My innocence will support me & my Country will protect me– 10 Great Men against one unprotected Woman are fearful odds.” The other scale, high in the air, is completely filled by a green bag, see British Museum Satires No. 13735, from the mouth of which emerges the head of George IV, crowned. Attached to the beam, by a rope round his neck, hangs a military officer, holding a huge key; as a makeweight he dangles vainly against the left side of the King’s bag. Three men standing below pull at the scale, trying to drag it down: they are Sidmouth (left), a judge in back view (? Leach), and Castlereagh (right), who says: “We cannot do it, and I told you so at first, & if she opens her bagwe shall be stifled all of us.” The King looks down at them with a distressed expression, saying: “Pull you lubbers.””–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Heeston, active 1820, printmaker.
  • Title: The green bag, it’s contents & all it’s appendages are insufficient to turn the scale of public opinion [graphic] / Heeston fect.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly, July 11, 1820.

Catalog Record 

820.07.11.01+

Acquired April 2019

[Galvanism, or, The miraculous recovery of the unfortunate Miss Baily]

Galvanism. Detailed description below.

A young woman sits despairingly on the edge of a bed, with the end of a garter round her neck; the other end dangles from the bed-tester. She watches a servant holding a foppish, elderly naval officer by the collar as he flourishes a cudgel. At his feet lie a set of bellows. On the wall is a framed picture of Venus and Adonis with Cupid.

  • Artist: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, artist.
  • Title:[ Galvanism, or, The miraculous recovery of the unfortunate Miss Baily] [art original] / George Cruikshank.
  • Production: [England], [ca. 1807]

Catalog Record 

Drawings C889 no. 7 Box D115

Acquired March 2019

Dignity!

Caricature of Queen Caroline and Bergami seated at a table

Caricature of Queen Caroline and Bergami seated at a table set with elegant china tureens and plates. On the rigth an English officer (Captain Pechell) extends his hand graciously as he declines to sit with them. Behind him two servants(?) look on with concern.

  • Printmaker: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, printmaker.
  • Title: Dignity! [graphic].
  • Publication: London : Pubd. by G. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s St., June 7, 1821.

Catalog Record 

821.06.07.01

Acquired March 2019

A nautical impromptu

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Satire with two naval officers (one of whom is the Duke of Clarence caricatured, with heavy jowl, protruding lips, and small slanting eye) abusing each other at table, observed by a civilian who winks and holds a finger to the side of his nose. The naval officer on the right says, “Why, they say there is always a fool in every family, & they generally send him to Sea.” The Duke of Clarence in the middle responds, ” How the Devil came you to put into the Navy, Captain.” The civilian to the right, observes, “Britons strike home!!!” On the table are plates of fruit and wine glasses with two carafes one of which is labeled “Goose” and a booklet entitled “An essay on Government by Jordan”. Two pictures on the wall in the background illustrate the theme: on the left, the image shows a man (King George) holds the arm of a crying young cadet, a sword between his legs, carries the title “Win them first then wear them.” On the right, “On board the London” is an image of two officers fighting while two big sailors smile as they watch.

  • Title: A nautical impromptu [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Publd. Augt. 22d, 1827, by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly, London, [22 August 1827]

Catalog Record 

827.08.22.01+

Acquired October 2018

Maternal management, or, A plot discovered

The plot hatched by a mother to marry her daughter to an old wealthy colonel is discovered. Both the mother and daughter are fashionably dressed in large dressess, hats and large sleeves. The mother stands on a veranda looking down at her daughter seated with a portfolio in her lap; she turns back to look at her mother raising a lorgnette to look up at her. In the speech balloon above her head, the mother is shown to say, “Julia, love, as Colonel Ingot has amassed a vast fortune in India, I really think him worth your attention. I have sent to the Music Seller for every thing Indian. Sing nothing else love, if you can bear a couple of Cashmeres on do & complain of the chilliness of the Climate, look into Guthrie for a few hard Bengal names & at dinner eat nothing but a little Currey, you can have refreshments in your dressing room love. The daughter smiles up at her mother, and says, “Very well Ma, but you don’t think he’d last long?” Below them, under the rose-coverd trellis the elderly colonel looks horrified at what he hears.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: Maternal management, or, A plot discovered [graphic].
  • Publication: London : Published by Thos. McLean, 26 Haymarket, 1829.

Catalog Record 

829.00.00.111+

Acquired October 2018