The Hombourg waltz, with characteristic sketches of family dancing!

description below

Members of the Royal Family at an informal dance, the centre couple being Princess Elizabeth, grotesquely stout, and the Prince of Hesse-Homburg, who grasps her dress, unable to reach her waist.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: The Hombourg waltz, with characteristic sketches of family dancing! [graphic] / Knahskiurc [that is, Cruikshank] fect.
  • Publication: London : Published May 4, 1818, by G. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s St., nephew & successor to the late Mrs. H. Humphrey, [4 May 1818]

Catalog Record

818.05.04.01

Acquired September 2023

Summer amusement at Farmer G-‘s near Windsor

description below

“The interior of a dairy: George III (left), in shirt-sleeves, is churning; the Queen, dressed as a farmer’s wife, sits in the window counting the coins which the Princess Royal pours on to the table. The Princess has a basket on her arm and is dressed like a country-girl. The Queen says, “Bless me, Child, you have made a very bad market! Good Heavens is it possible the people can be so unreasonable these plentiful times to expect six eggs for a groat! You shall tramp to London next market day.” The King adds, “A very bad market girl, indeed, a very bad market girl – Limy shall go next” (cf. British Museum Satires No. 6947). Behind the King are shelves with bowls of cream, a furtive cat drinks from one of them. Above them, three milk-scores are chalked on the wall, headed, ‘Cartwheel’s score’, ‘The Widow Waggonrut’, and ‘Mrs Towser’. On the ground (left) is a pile of cheeses. Outside the wide doorway (right) Pitt, elegantly dressed, is milking a cow with a fastidious air; he sings: “I made war with Kate, a buxom Northern Lass: But such my cruel fate – ” Thurlow, wearing a smock, stands with his back to Pitt, cracking a whip; he says, “She bid you kiss her A——! Damn the Whip I’ll never learn the right smack of a Carter.””–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Newton, Richard, 1777-1798, printmaker.
  • Title: Summer amusement at Farmer G-‘s near Windsor [graphic].
  • Publication: London : Pubd. August 9, 1791, by W. Holland, No. 50 Oxford Street, [9 August 1791]

Catalog Record

791.08.09.01+

Acquired September 2023

The Royal Family of Great Britain

description below

A group portrait of George III, Queen Charlotte, and their thirteen surviving children each numbered with a key below. The youngest children play with kites and marbles. In the background Princess Amelia (the youngest) jumps into the arms of her brother, Prince Ernest Augustus. The older members of the family form small groupings that are engaged in conversation. In the foreground are books, charts, and globes, suggesting their education and cultural pursuits.

  • Title: The Royal Family of Great Britain [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Printed and sold by Carington Bowles, No. 69 in St. Pauls Church Yard, London, [ca. 1785?]

Catalog Record

785.00.00.119

Acquired February 2022

The reconciliation

 

The reconciliation. Detailed description below

“The King steps forward to embrace the Prince of Wales, who throws himself into his father’s arms, saying, “against Heaven – and before thee, and am no more worthy——” (the words fade out). George III wears court dress, the Prince’s dress is tattered and dishevelled, his pocket hangs inside out, the garter at his knee – ‘Honi soit’ – is loose. Behind the King stands the Queen on the door-step, half-smiling, her arms outstretched. Two pleased princesses look over her shoulder. Just outside the door stand Pitt and Moira watching the reconciliation, Pitt with a benign expression, Moira more doubtfully; both wear footmen’s court-livery, of military cut; Moira wears jack-boots. Pitt holds a paper: ‘New Union Act Britains best Hope’, implying that he is the author of the ‘Union’. Moira holds Pitt’s arm. Beside the house (right) are a tree and a balustrade, against which grow a rose-bush and a thistle.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of the Gillray print of which this is a copy.
“A close copy by Williams, with additions, apparently ante-dated … Behind the Prince Lord Dartmouth, Lord Chamberlain, stands full face, holding his wand, his gold key attached to his coat. Pitt and Moira turn their eyes slyly towards each other: both weep large burlesqued tears, as do the Queen and Dartmouth.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The reconciliation [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. Novr. 18, 1804, by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, [18 November 1804]

Catalog Record 

804.11.18.01+

Acquired May 2019