Tag Archives: Napoleonic Wars

The Corsican whipping top in full spin!!!

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The Corsican whipping top in full spin!!!

“A (tricolour) top with the head of Napoleon spins, above the ground, savagely lashed by representatives of the Allies. His arms and his legs have already been severed from his body, now represented only by the madly spinning top. The most violently active is Blücher (left) stripped to the shirt, his coat and hat thrown on a drum on the extreme left, beside which lie his gloves and baton. Facing them is Wellington (right) equally effective, stern, but less savage. Full-face, and immediately behind the top is the Tsar, left hand on hip; his whip is inscribed ‘Knout’. Between him and Wellington is Schwarzenberg (or Francis I). Bernadotte stands rather behind, between Blücher and Alexander, both hands on his hips; he holds a whip but is an amused spectator. Behind (right) the future King of Holland, crowned and wearing a star, but dressed in the breeches and jacket of the Dutchman in English caricature, sits under a tree on a cask of ‘Hollands’. He watches delightedly, holding up one of Napoleon’s legs inscribed ‘United Netherlands’. The other leg, the thigh inscribed ‘Swisslad, the boot Italy, lies near Blücher. At Wellington’s feet is the right arm inscribed Spain & Portugal’; the left arm, inscribed ‘Germany’, is near Schwarzenberg. Napoleon’s orb and (broken) sceptre lie near him, with some of the feathers from the large hat which is still on his head; his horrified and shrieking profile faces Blücher. In the background (left) is a road along which a carriage drives off, drawn by four galloping horses. It contains tiny figures: Marie Louise, crowned and looking behind her, and the little King of Rome also crowned and waving a sceptre. Two soldiers are on the box, two others sit behind. In the air behind Bernadotte a demon flies off to the left, with Joseph Bonaparte clutching his barbed tail. The latter, his crown flying off, looks back horrified, exclaiming “O! My poor Brother Nap oh oh! O!”.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title:T he Corsican whipping top in full spin!!! [graphic] / G.H. invt. ; G. Cruikshank fect.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 11th, 1814, by H. Humphrey, St. James’s Strt., [11 April 1814]

Catalog Record

814.04.11.01+

Acquired June 2018

Commemoration of the four great naval victories…

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Plates engraved by F. Bartolozzi, I. Landseer, J. Parker, Geo. Noble, Lenney, and W. Bromley after paintings by R. Smirke, miniatures by John Smart, and after portraits by Ryder, Stow, and Worthington.

  • Title: Commemoration of the four great naval victories obtained by the English during the late war : Earl Howe’s over the French, off Ushant, June 1, 1794; Earl St. Vincent’s over the Spaniards, off Cape St. Vincent, February 14, 1797; Lord Viscount Duncan’s over the Dutch, off Camperdown, October 11, 1797; Lord Viscount Nelson’s over the French, in the Bay of Aboukir, August 1, 1798.
  • Published: London : Printed for R. Bowyer, at the Historic Gallery, Pall Mall, ; by T. Bensley, Bolt Court, Fleet Street, 1803.

Catalog Record

Drawer 63 803 C734

Acquired July 2017

The Corsican bloodhound, beset by the bears of Russia

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lwlpr32590 (1024x680)

A satire on Napoleon’s Russian campaign. A large hound with the head of Napoleon in his bicorne hat with a feather colored red, white and blue, flees in terror towards the right, pursued by a pack of charging bears (Russia). The handle of a kettle with the words “Moskow tin-kettle etched in its side is tied to the hound’s tail, its contents spilling out — Famine, Oppression, Frost, Mortality, Destruction, Death, Horror, Moskow annihilation. The collar around his next reads “From Moskow” and the chain drags along on the ground. In the distance a city in flames.

  • Printmaker: Elmes, William, active 1797-1814, printmaker.
  • Title: The Corsican bloodhound, beset by the bears of Russia [graphic].
  • Publication: London : Pudb. Marh. 7th 1813 by Thos. Tegg. 111 Cheapside, London, [7 March 1813]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

813.03.07.01

Acquired June 2015

 

Cossack sports, or, The Platoff hunt in full cry after French game

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lwlpr32589 (1024x754)

A satire on Napoleon’s Russian campaign. “Cossacks, led by Platoff, pursue, across a river, a fox with the head and huge bicorne of Napoleon. The Russians ride their horses through the water. The fox, larger in scale than the other figures, takes a flying leap to the shore (right). He says: “Hark, I hear the Cry of Cossacks. The [sic] have got Scent of me -I must take to my heels once more, the are close to my Brush.” His tail is inscribed ‘Corsican Fox’. Across the lower edge of the design runs a strip of land on which are frogs; one, inscribed ‘French Frog’, waddles off, while one on the extreme left is being speared. Of the other frogs a few turn to oppose the Cossacks with bayonets; these have a tricolour flag; the majority are escaping to the right, a row of heads and sloped bayonets, with one eagle. Platoff, whose high fur cap has a long plume inscribed ‘Platoff’, riding with levelled spear, shouts: “Hark forward my boys get along! he runs in view. Yoics. Yoics. There he goes, Tally-ho!” His daughter, in the middle distance, rides through the water, pointing with the hand that holds the reins, and raising a whip; she shouts: “Hi, ho, Tally, ho! For a husband.” Cossacks gallop up from the background (left), leap from a low cliff into the river, and swim through it, one carrying a standard with the Russian eagle, behind the two Platoffs. In the background is a town flying a flag inscribed ‘Leapsic’; tiny horsemen, evidently Cossacks, gallop out of the city gate.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Elmes, William, active 1797-1814, printmaker.
  • Title: Cossack sports, or, The Platoff hunt in full cry after French game [graphic] / Wm. E.
  • Publication: [London : Pubd. Novr. 9th 1813 by Thos. Tegg, No. 111 Cheapside, 9 November 1813]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

813.11.09.01 Impression 2

Acquired June 2015

A tit bit for a Cossack

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lwlpr32588 (660x1024)

A satire on Napoleon in Russia. The daughter of Count Platoff stands full face, erect, dashing, and alluring, on a snowy mound. Her right hand supports a spear from which floats a banner inscribed: ‘I General Count Platoff. promise to give my Daughter in Marriage and 2000 Rubles – to any Cossack, Russian, Prusian, German, Sweede, Turk, John Bull, Sauny Bull Paddy Bull or any other Bull, who shall bring Me the Head of Little Bony dead or a live.’ She wears fur-trimmed cap with a long hussar-bag, long high-waisted fur-bordered pelisse, with a cape, fur-trimmed boots, and large ear-rings. The words ‘Hih “ho” for a Husband’ issue from closed and smiling lips. With her left hand she points behind her to the right and to the little figure of Napoleon on skates, wearing a large plumed bicorne, and brandishing his sabre; he deserts his snow-bound army, saying, “O” ho” bygare I had best be Off.” He strides past the heads of soldiers emerging from snow, together with bayonets, and a French flag; behind him the French army marches in close ranks, with one eagle and one flag. On the left is another column of tiny soldiers indicated by heads, bayonets, an eagle, and flags. In the clouds, airborne as in No. 11992 (British Museum catalogue), are two bands of galloping Cossacks, one (right) seems about to swoop down on Napoleon. Heavy clouds frame slanting rays which make a background for Platoff’s daughter. At her feet are two money–bags both inscribed ‘1,000 Rubles’, which disgorge coins. Behind them a kneeling Cupid aims his bow towards the ‘cloud of Cossacks’ on the left.”–British Museum catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Elmes, William, active 1797-1814, printmaker.
  • Title: A tit bit for a Cossack, or, The Platoff prize, for the head of Buonaparte [graphic] / Wm. Es.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. by Thos Tegg, 111 Cheapside, Jany. 4th 1813.

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

813.01.04.01

Acquired June 2015