W.A.R a masque

description below

“William IV, as Mars, in Roman armour, stands defiantly in a war-chariot drawn by three galloping horses, ridden by Discord, a virago with serpents for hair, who brandishes a handful of serpents. He holds a shield inscribed ‘Signed Protocols’, and a levelled spear; on his helmet is a dragon with gaping jaws. The chariot advances upon terrified Dutch soldiers (left), who flee; one drops his musket, but one on the extreme left (William I) stands firm beside the muzzle of a cannon and glares at the King with an obstinate scowl. They have high-crowned hats, with a ribbon inscribed ‘Orange’. Facing the chariot-horses (left) are a menacing Russian bear and a Prussian Death’s Head hussar with a levelled blunderbuss. Discord, looking sideways at the Prussian though turning away from him, says: ‘A word in your Ear! there’s nothing meant, its all show just to frighten these Dutchmen a little’. Under the chariot is a document inscribed ‘Treatys’; the wheel is about to collide with a large stone inscribed ‘Ireland’, on which the features of O’Connell are faintly suggested. Behind the chariot are three Furies, with serpents for hair, and holding firebrands and bunches of serpents. Rushing forward, they urge the King on; they are (left to right) Grey, Durham, and Brougham. As a background to the chariot a swarm of countless frogs (French soldiers) is dimly suggested; they rush forward, with a tricolour flag. On the front of the chariot perches a Gallic cock. In the foreground (right) stands John Bull, stout and spectacled; he clutches his ‘Reform Bill’, and gapes up in horror, saying, ‘Hey dey here’s a bobbery, just as I was going to look over my Reform Bill quietly, what do they mean not to go to war sure now,!! after suffering Poland to be annihilated & Germany trampled on, Oh nonsense! Nonsense’.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Seymour, Robert, 1798-1836, printmaker.
  • Title: W.A.R [graphic] : a masque.
  • Publication: [London] : [T. McLean], [1 November 1832]

Catalog Record

832.11.01.01+

Acquired June 2024

The Graces they were culling posies…

description below

“Three grotesquely ugly old maids stoop delightedly over a Cupid who sleeps against a rose-bush, arrow in hand, his unstrung bow beside him. On the back of one sits an ape; a lap-dog is beside her. A parrot sits on the bonnet of another, the third kneels. On a mound (right) a cock stands crowing: ‘Cock a doodle doo.'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: The Graces they were culling posies and found young love among the roses [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [between 1817 and 1819?]

Catalog Record

817.00.00.24+

Acquired September 2023

A tenth rejected, or, The dandyfied coxcomb in a bandbox

description below

“A farmyard scene, with a corner of the house on the left. A grossly fat and carbuncled parson on a quest for tithes encounters the farmer’s wife, who runs towards him proffering an open bandbox, with a dangling lid inscribed 10th. A miniature hussar, very dandified in shako and pelisse, stands in it, superciliously inspecting the parson through an eye-glass. The woman, who is plump and well-dressed, wearing apron and bonnet, says: Seeing your Reverence comeing for your Tithes, I have brought you a Tenth. The parson, who holds a large book, Tithe list, and has a chicken in his capacious pocket, answers with a scowl and gesture of refusal: Take it back! take it back! good Woman; I never tithe Monkeys. The little hussar says: Eh! eh! what does that there fellow say? An amused yokel with a pitchfork leans over a gate (left). A cock crows on a dunghill, an ass brays. Corn-sheaves stand in a distant field.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: tenth rejected, or, The dandyfied coxcomb in a bandbox [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. 10th April 1824 by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, [10 April 1824]

Catalog Record

824.04.10.01+

Acquired January 2022

Articles for a cock match

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An engraved broadside with a vignette of a cock match at the top.

  • Title: Articles for a cock match [graphic].
  • Publication: London : Printed and sold by Reginald Heber, publisher of the List of Horse Races, Henry Bennet Junr. and Harwen Martin, [1750s]

Catalog record 

750.00.00.88+

Acquired September 2018

Desespoir des ennemis de la France….

Desespoir des ennemis de la France....

A political cartoon with 42 bust caricatures of members of a conspiracy discovered by no. 1 “La Vigilance du Gouvernement Français”, a rooster or the Gallic cock, depicted at top center, holding “Correspondance de Mr. Draque – Ambassadeur de la Cour Britannique &c. &c.”

  • Title: Desespoir des ennemis de la France a la découverte de leurs complots.
  • Publication: [France?] : [publisher not identified], [1804]

Catalog Record

804.00.00.20++

Acquired March 2018

The itinerant chancellor

Four rows of designs with one to three designs in each, individually titled.

  • CreatorGrant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, lithographer, artist.
  • TitleThe itinerant chancellor [graphic] ; [and 9 other designs] / C.J. Grant invent., del. & lith.
  • PublicationLondon : Published by J. Kendrick, 54 Leicester Square …, [1 October 1834]
  • Manufacture[London] : Printed by Dean & Munday …

Catalog Record 

834.10.01.01+

Acquired November 2017