“Two tiers of single English figures expressing appropriate opinions about the coronation of Napoleon.”–British Museum online catalogue.
804.07.16.03+
Acquired November 2020
“A magician stands full face with uplifted sabre held over the heads of two figures from the past whom he has called up, and who stand within a magic circle. He displays them to their modern descendants, a tall stout Frenchman plainly dressed, wearing cocked hat and military boots, who stands with his arm on the shoulder of a thin, wretched, shambling, Englishman, small, ugly, and foppish, his hand thrust through an empty pocket. The magician has a beard, but features, cocked hat, consular dress, and sabre indicate Napoleon. He asks: “Are you satisfied Gentlemen?” The apparitions (left) are a grossly obese Englishman in old-fashioned dress, a cane hanging from his right wrist, and an ugly, tall, cadaverous, and foppish Frenchman holding a snuffbox. They say, respectively: “Is that my Grandson Jack? what a skeleton!!!”; “Ah mon Cousin, vat you eat de Beef & Plum Pudding!!” Their surprised successors exclaim: “Bless me! why I am a mere Stump of a man to him!!! and viable my Cousin look like de Frog & John Bull look like de Ox but Grace a Dieu times are Changed!!” Beside the magician are symbols of his art: a globe, a crocodile, a scroll, a skull. Within the circle and beside the French apparition is a frog.”–British Museum online catalogue.
803.03.09.01+
Acquired March 2021
A satire on the Peace of Amiens between France and England, with caricatures of national figures (Holland, Russia, Britain, Spain, Turkey and Prussia) dancing to Napoleon’s tune. Napoleon stands at right with pipe and tambourine singing ‘Ah ci-ira, ci-ira!’.
802.00.00.33+
Acquired September 2020
“Bonaparte (left) and Cornwallis play chess. Bonaparte, not caricatured, alert and military, wearing his large plumed cocked hat, leans forward, pointing to his move; his left arm lies on the table and in his left hand is his sheathed sabre. He says: “Check to your King, remember it is not the first time, and I think a very few Manœuvres more will completely convince you that I am better acquainted with the Game I am playing than you are aware of.” Cornwallis, plump and civilian despite his regimentals and profession, sits without a hat, scratching his head apprehensively. He says: “Curse it I shall lose this Game; You are too much for me.” He wears his ribbon and star, ‘Honi soit’ on his garter. The chairs are symbolical: that of Bonaparte has ormolu laurel wreaths, the legs are formed of fasces and axes; that of Cornwallis, with plain oval back, suggests an English drawing-room.”–British Museum online catalogue.
802.01.09.01+
Acquired September 2020
“Britannia, tall and powerful, holds Napoleon across her knee, and raises a birch rod to thrash his bleeding posterior. She wears Roman draperies, with corslet and plumed helmet. The rod is tied with a ribbon inscribed: ‘United Kingdoms’. She says: “There take that and that and that, and be carefull not to provoke my Anger more.” He exclaims: “oh forgive me this time and I never will do so again, oh dear! oh dear! you’ll entirely spoil the Honors of the Sitting.” Beside Britannia (left) are her spear and sword; beside Napoleon (right) his huge cocked hat and sabre. The scene is by the sea (left), with a fleet of retreating vessels flying the tricolour flag. On the right is a cliff on which a small British lion lies on a scroll inscribed: ‘Qui uti scit ei bona’ [good things to him who knows how to use them].”–British Museum online catalogue.
803.06.13.01+
Acquired January 2021
“Napoleon (right) stands between two Russians; one (left) he strikes on the chin with his fist, saying, “There Sir take that, and tel your Master, I’ll thras every one who dares to speak to me I’ll thrash all the World D -me I’ll, I’ll I,’ll be King of the Universe.” The injured Russian stares, saying, “Why this is club Law; this is the Argument of force indeed the little Gentleman is Dêrangé.” Behind Napoleon (right) an officer in fur cloak and hussar’s cap watches with indignation, saying, “The Monarch I represent, will return this insult with becoming dignity.” On the left John Bull, jovial and grossly fat, and wearing top-boots, puts his arm across the shoulders of a pugilist, and points to Napoleon, saying, “There my Boy is an Ambassador who will treat with you in your own way, but I say be as gentle with him as you can.” The good-looking brawny pugilist, who is stripped to the waist, clenches his fists, saying, “what! is it that little Whipper snapper I am to set too with why I think the first round will settle his hash.” [An early use of this phrase which disproves Partridge, ‘Slang Dict., tracing it in England to 1825, and in U.S.A. to 1807, suggesting that the English may have learnt it in the war of 1812. It was clearly current in England by 1803] Bonaparte is small and youthful, caricatured chiefly by the disproportionate size of cocked hat and sabre.”–British Museum online catalogue.
803.06.16.02+
Acquired January 2021
803.08.14.01+
Acquired January 2021
“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 satire on the approaching election for the Chancellorship of Oxford University. Grenville, dressed as a cardinal, heads a small procession towards the Devil, who wears a robe on which is a large cross, and holds the bland mask with which he has been hiding his face. Grenville, bowing low, and deferentially holding his large hat, holds out a paper: Catholic Petition for the vacant Chancellorship with a Plan for Erecting a New Popish Sanhedrim on the ruins of old Alma-Mater, The Devil says: Well done my Children! This is all the Convocation I would have; in his left hand is a pitchfork. The Marquis of Buckingham, dressed as a Jesuit, stands behind him, one hand on his shoulder, the other holding his barbed tail. Beside him is Canning (unrecognizable) wearing a Jesuit’s biretta. Beside the Devil is a greyhound with the head of Grey, its collar inscribed Popish Gray Hound. Immediately behind Grenville walks the Pope, wearing his tiara, and holding his cross; he holds up Grenville’s robe on which is a large cross. Napoleon crouches behind the Pope, holding on to his robes and hiding under his mantle. He wears a crown, with uniform and spurred boots; his hand is on the hilt of his sword. Behind walk together Temple, enormously fat and dressed as a monk, and his brother, Lord George Grenville, similarly dressed. The former carries the Host, the latter a lighted candle. In the background rows of bishops and clergymen face the procession. Bishops in the front row, humbly sweeping the ground with their mitres, bow low, each clasping a Mass Book, while those behind cheer with raised mortar-board, hand, or Mass Book. On five of the books are the names of bishoprics: York [Vernon], St Asaph [Cleaver], London [Randolph], Oxford [Moss], Norwich [Bathurst]. Above the design (and the bishops): Golgotha, i.e: the place of Skulls.”–British Museum online catalogue.
809.12.01.04+
Acquired January 2020
“Napoleon, advancing down a gently sloping causeway of rock which traverses water and flames, is halted by ‘Leo Britannicus’ who bounds savagely towards him. He drops a short chain attached to the nose of the ‘Russian Bear’, a huge white creature at his heels. He is beset on all sides by monsters, who emerge from a background of flame, smoke, and cloud, or from the water. Beside the British Lion is a little ‘Sicilian Terrier’, barking ferociously. Death, a skeleton-like corpse, rides a mule which dashes through the air towards Napoleon, snorting flame. He wears a Spanish hat and cloak, and holds up a flaming spear and an hour-glass whose sands have almost run out. The mule’s trappings are inscribed ‘True-Royal-Spanish-Breed’. Outstripping the mule, a savage ‘Portuguese Wolf’, with the end of a broken chain attached to his collar, leaps towards Napoleon. The heads and hulders of two melancholy French officers with their necks chained together emerge from clouds to address Napoleon; they say: “Remember Junot and Remember Dupont.” Above these is the Pope’s tiara, the apex of flames, emitting thunderbolts towards Napoleon, and inscribed ‘Dreadful Descent of ye Roman Meteor’ [cf. BMSat 10970]. Immediately above Napoleon is a crescent moon inscribed ‘British-influence’ enclosing the old (dark) moon, which is ‘French Influence’. This forms the centre of a turban, and is surrounded with fiery clouds flanking the features of the Sultan, looking fiercely down at Napoleon. Blood drips from it. This is ‘The Turkish New-Moon, Rising in Blood’. Beside it (right) the head and arms of a man raising an enormous sword above Napoleon emerge from swirling flames: The ‘Spirit of Charles ye XII’ [of Sweden 1682-1718]. On the r. a double-headed Habsburg eagle swoops towards Napoleon from clouds: “- The Imperial Eagle emerging from a Cloud.” Its collar is inscribed ‘German Eagle’. From the water beyond Napoleon’s causeway, the ‘Ditch of Styx’, project the crown and hands of the drowning ‘Rex Joseph’; he is immediately under the Spanish mule ridden by Death. The water on the nearer side of the causeway, in the foreground, is the ‘Lethean Ditch’. From this (left) rats crawl towards Napoleon: “The Rhenish Confederation of Starved Rats, crawling out of the Mud [cf. British Museum Satires No. 10433].” Three frogs raise their heads from the ditch to spit: “Dutch-Frogs spitting out their spite.” A rattle-snake spits venom, and shakes its tail: “- American Rattle-Snake shaking his Tail.-” On the right, standing on a rock, is a dilapidated eagle with clipped wings, and scanty feathers: “Prussian Scare-Crow attempting to Fly -.””–British Museum online catalogue.
808.09.24.01+
Acquired January 2020
