The Bengal levee

description below“Lord Cornwallis holds a levee in Government House, Calcutta, in a large room divided by a panelled partition which stretches across the design from left to right and is broken by three wide doorways, showing an inner room, crowded with guests, with three large windows between which are pier-glasses in ornate frames. In the spaces between the doorways are four candle-sconces placed above four of Thomas Daniell’s ‘Views of Calcutta’, either the originals or (more probably) the aquatints. [Published by him at Calcutta 1786-8, reproduced in W. Corfield’s ‘Calcutta Faces and Places’. Cf. also ‘Memoirs of William Hickey’, iii. 327, 342.] In the nearer portion of the room the figures are dispersed; Cornwallis stands in the inner room on the right, his right hand on his breast, left in his breeches pocket. He is talking to Cudbert Thornhill, a grotesque-looking civilian who faces him in profile to the right. Behind Thornhill, waiting to approach Cornwallis, is King Collins wearing regimentals. Behind this group is a crowd of unidentified guests. The figures in the foreground (left to right) are: Lt.-Col. Alexander Ross, secretary to Cornwallis, who is talking to Colonel John Fullarton, senior officer at the Presidency (‘East India Kalendar’, 1791, p. 14). Next, a stout civilian, with legs thick to deformity, holds both hands of a very slim and foppish civilian; they are John Haldane and Claud Benizett, [Identified by Wright and Evans as John Wilton.] Sub-Treasurer. The centre figures are a very stout colonel talking to a thin and grotesque civilian holding a long cane; both wear spectacles. They are Colonel Auchmuty and William Pye, Collector of the Twenty-four Pergunnahs. A grotesquely ugly little civilian, standing alone in profile to the left, taking snuff, is W. C. Blaquiere. [Identified by Wright and Evans] On the extreme right an obese man and a cadaverously thin man, both civilians, take each other’s hands in an affected manner; they are Robert MacFarlane, Clerk of the Market, and John Miller, Deputy of Police. From MacFarlane’s pocket hangs a long paper: ‘Price Current Calcutta Market Grain Rice Bran Paddy Agent’. Behind Pye stands the Rev. Thomas Blanshard, a very stout man in profile to the left with his hands behind his back. Behind him a civilian grasps the hands of a Greek priest wearing robes and a high hat. They are Edward Tiretta of the Bazaar and Father Parthanio. …”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker.
  • Title: The Bengal levee [graphic] / etch’d by Js. Gillray, from an original drawing made on the spot by an amateur.
  • Publication: London : Publish’d Novr. 9th, 1792, by Js. Gillray, Chealsea, & by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street, [9 November 1792]

Catalog Record 

792.11.09.01++ Impression 2

Acquired November 2019

The guard wot looks arter the sovereign

description below“Lady Conyngham stands directed to the left, feet apart, dressed as in British Museum satires no. 15720; she amusingly combines the ultra-feminine with masculine attributes and stance. She is immensely fat and wide with small cherubic features and curls; under her left arm is a cocked blunderbuss. She wears a wide-brimmed hat, a neckcloth fastened with a jewelled crown, a coach-guard’s greatcoat, wide open over her tight-waisted dress. A pouch hangs from her shoulder and two coach-horns from her left arm. Above her head: ‘I says to our Governor says I–keep your eye on them ere Leaders George’; i.e. on Lyndhurst and Scarlett, see British Museum satires nos. 15720, 15850. Cf. British Museum satires no. 15716.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: The guard wot looks arter the sovereign [graphic] / [man with an umbrella] Esq. del.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. April 28, 1829, by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket, [28 April 1829]

Catalog Record

829.04.28.01+

Acquired November 2019

A long story

description below“A number of men seated round a circular table over the wine manifesting sleepiness or exhaustion in different ways, while an officer in regimentals harangues them on some campaign. He sits over the table, in profile to the right, gesticulating with outstretched arms over a plan drawn on the table-cloth. Two overturned wine-glasses lie in front of him, two empty bottles stand on the table. On the farther side of the table a man stands up, stretching and yawning violently. His neighbour on his right also yawns; the man on his left supports his head on his hands, scowling at the speaker through half-closed eyes. Next him (right) a man in profile to the left holding a wine-glass yawns widely. Two others in profile to the right are asleep in attitudes of extreme weariness. A very fat man, sitting on the left. I turned away from the table, with outstretched legs in top-boots, yawns violently. From the right enters a servant with tousled hair, wearing a striped jersey; he is bringing in a boot-jack and pair of slippers, he too is yawning violently. In the foreground are two dogs.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: A long story [graphic] / H. Bunbury Esqr. invt.
  • Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], [ca. 1802?]

Catalog Record 

802.04.25.02+

Acquired November 2019

The last of the Boroughbridges

“Wetherell (left), an invalid in dressing-gown and night-cap, reclines in an arm-chair, exhausted but laughing. Facing him stands Eldon in deep dejection, saying, with both hands raised, ‘Poor Boroughbridge! how is it with you?’ Cumberland, on the extreme right, stands behind Eldon, covering his face with his handkerchief; he says: ‘Facetious to the last!–It is quite affecting!’ Horace Twiss leans on the back of Wetherell’s chair; Chandos, dressed as a woman, stoops over the patient; both are smiling. Wetherell: ‘All over my friends! just in time to hear my “last speech and dying words”! But dont look so grave about it, I assure you we treat the matter in our house as if it was an excellent joke–to be sent out of the world with a dose of Russell’s purge”! is so droll; & then, we are to have such a merry funeral’. On a commode is a bottle labelled ‘Russell’s purge’. Peel, smiling, and Goulburn, holding a handkerchief to his face and leaning on Peel, watch from the background.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • CreatorDoyle, John, 1797-1868, lithographer.
  • TitleThe last of the Boroughbridges [graphic] / HB [monogram].
  • PublicationLondon : Published by Thos. McLean, 26 Haymarket, March 7th, 1831.
  • Manufacture[London] : Printed by C. Motte, 25 Leicester Sqre.

Catalog Record

831.03.07.01+

Acquired March 2018

Hudibras vanquish’d by Trulla

Hudibras vanquish'd by Trulla

“Hudibras is sprawled on the ground with Trulla, a large country-woman, astride him fending off angry villagers, including a cobbler and a butcher, wielding clubs; to left, Ralpho is held by a man with a rope and another with a sword”– British Museun online catalogue.

  • PrintmakerHogarth, William, 1697-1764, printmaker.
  • TitleHudibras vanquish’d by Trulla [graphic] / W. Hogarth invt. et sculp.
  • Edition[State 4].
  • PublicationLondon : Printed and sold by Robert Sayer, opposite Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, [1726]

Catalog Record

Hogarth 768.00.00.02 Box 112

Acquired June 2018

All a growing, a growing, heres flowers for your gardens

“A handsome young man sells pot-plants to a pretty young woman who stands on a door-step (left); a little girl beside her points eagerly to the flowers. He has a two-wheeled cart drawn by an ass; in it are small shrubs in large pots; two pots of flowering plants are on the ground. The background is formed by part of a palatial house having a portico raised on an arcade.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • PrintmakerMerke, Henri, printmaker.
  • TitleAll a growing, a growing, heres flowers for your gardens [graphic] / Rowlandson delin. ; Merke sculp.
  • PublicationLondon : Pub. Mar. 1, 1799, at R. Ackermann’s, 101 Strand, [1 March 1799]

Catalog Record 

799.03.01.07

Acquired May 2018

The hopes of the nation

“A satirical emblematic design; at centre, ‘The Rock of the True Old English Constitution’, on which sits a small figure of John Bull on a chair, holding a tankard and a pipe, saying, ‘Wellhere I am I John Bull – thrown rather in the back ground this is the blessed effect of parties their pockets are full, and mine are empty. – however – Grievings a Folly so let us be be [sic] jolly – My Service to you.’ To left stands a large grinning figure, ‘Opposition Man’, his hands in his pockets, with papers lettered ‘Jobbing’, ‘Corruption’, and with sums of money; at right stands a similar figure, ‘Ministerial Man’, also grinning and with hands in his pockets, one of which is lettered ‘The Cash The Cash’. With feet on the shoulders of the latter and above Bull is a spreadeagled, large grinning figure, saying ‘No Party Man’, whose pocket is inscribed ‘a little more money if you please’; on his head is balanced a cushion-like object lettered ‘Promises’, which supports the banner, ‘Reform’; on top of this is a similing head wearing a ruff, fool’s cap and ass’s ears.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker.
  • TitleThe hopes of the nation, or, New armorial bearings for John Bull [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : Pubd. May 25th, 1809, by Thos. Tegg, No. 111 Cheapside, [25 May 1809]

Catalog Record 

809.05.25.01+

Acquired November 2017

Protecting the Sabbath!!!, or, Coersion for England

A satire on the puritanical message of strictly observing the Sabbath. A puritan stands on a barrel marked ‘St. Andrew’, his arms held out making a cross. He cries: ‘Clear the Streets of all Evil doers – Remember ye keep Severely Strict the Sabbath day…’ Surrounding him, portly puritans carrying clubs attack people going about their Sunday business.

  • PrintmakerGrant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, printmaker.
  • TitleProtecting the Sabbath!!!, or, Coersion for England [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : G. Tregear, 1833.

Catalog Record 

833.04.09.01+

Acquired March 2018

Fashionable ties, or, Modern neckcloths

Fashionable ties, or, Modern neckcloths

A macabre caricature divided into two compartments, The Dandy and The Dangle. On the left, a strutting dandy ties his neckcloth in front of a mirror saying: ‘I declare these large Neckcloths are monstrously handy, They [serve] for a shirt too and make one a Dandy.’ The right hand image is of a dandy, head covered in a cloth, dangling from a wooden beam with a tie around his neck. Behind him is a town square and in the foreground, a crowd looks on. The image is accompanied by the text: ‘When a man comes to this there’s little to hope, His neat Dandy Neckcloth is changed for a Rope’.

  • TitleFashionable ties, or, Modern neckcloths [graphic].
  • Publication[London?] : [publisher not identified], [ca. 1810]

Catalog Record 

810.00.00.83+

Acquired November 2017

The restive Pegasus…

“A man in ragged but quasi-fashionable dress rides (right to left) an ass through a river which flows past a steep mountain. The animal jibs, with ears set back; the rider raises a whip in each hand. He wears, and uses, three pairs of spurs, and attached to his shoulders and to the ass is a monstrous pile of bladders inscribed respectively ‘Repartee’, ‘Nonsensical Verses’, ‘Catastrophe’, ‘Sentiment’, ‘Blasphemies’, ‘Puns’, ‘Duels’, ‘Double Entendres’, ‘Metaphors’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘Melting Speeches’, ‘Squibs’, ‘Dialogue’, ‘Daggers Poisons’.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state.

  • Printmaker: Grinagain, Giles, printmaker, artist.
  • Title: The restive Pegasus, or, The dramatic author foiled in his attempt to ascend Parnassus [graphic] / Giles Grinagain in. et f.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. July 25, 1802, by S. Howitt, Panton Street, [25 July 1802]

Catalog Record 

802.07.25.01

Acquired November 2017