Tag Archives: Satires

Napoleon after the Battle of Maloyaroslavets

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Satirical print showing Napoleon after the battle of Maloyaroslavets (24 October 1812) during his Russian campaign (‘The Patriotic War’ in Russian parlance). He is vomiting fragments of plans and charts as well as a shattered anchor. In his hand he holds a large medicine bottle of emetic labelled in Russian: ‘Emetic. Pour Mr Napoleon. Heartfelt thank you, if only to take it more often. By order of the Russian army, from the pharmacy near Maly Yaroslavets’.

Catalog Record

812.10.24.01

Acquired April 2023

Iohn Bull makeing a naval enqury

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“John Bull, as a burly and ugly sailor, sits enthroned (right), listening to Melville’s plea of innocence. Melville, in Highland dress, and wearing a feathered bonnet, stands in profile to the right. with clasped hands and flexed knees; he says: “Indeed Mr Bull – I knaw nae more aboot it – than Johnny Groat o’the Highlands.” Trotter lurks behind him (left) furtively twitching his superior’s kilt, and jerking his thumb to the left.; he says: “Take my advice – and let us Trot off while we are well, he looks confounded inquisitive.” John scowls and glares pugnaciously, saying, “Why Look ye – de ye see – I dont come for to go for to say – exactly, that you sack’d the cole – all I say is the Shiners set sail – and as you had the care of the Hatches – it is, likely, you should know what Port they steer’d into! I say let’s look at your log book Old one.” He wears striped trousers and a knotted scarf; in his hat is a tobacco-pipe. His chair stands on a dais and is decorated with a crowned anchor and dolphins.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: Iohn Bull makeing [sic] a naval enqury [sic] [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 1st, 1805, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [1 April 1805]

Catalog Record

805.04.01.01+

Acquired April 2023

The York sparring match, being M.A. Clarke’s first set

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“Mrs. Clarke stands just within the House of Commons triumphing over her opponents and victims. She strikes a member (Croker) with a rapier, while holding up in her left hand a letter headed My dear Mrs Clark. She tramples on a military officer who lies prone; a paper under his hand is inscribed Genl [Clav]ering. Her antagonists have dropped their swords, which lie broken on the floor. Her large muff lies beside her with a bundle of Love Letters. Croker tries to escape, exclaiming, By Jasus she’ll give us 100 Cuts in 60 thrusts. Perceval rushes off, with a mutilated hand, saying, I am Struck dumb, and lost my thumb! I Percieve all. Another (the Attorney-General) exclaims: Oh! dear! Oh dear! she has cut off my Ear Ex officio. A little man whose nose has been cut off, exclaims: What dreadfull blows–Witness my Nose, my Honeys. In his pocket is a paper: Memorandum for Mr Hague [see British Museum Satires No. 11211]. A tall man (Yorke, see British Museum Satires No. 11535) shouts, raising his arms: Take her into custody–She will be to much for us–send her to York Jail. Shadowy figures watch the encounter. A corner of the gallery is seen, crowded with eager spectators. Two men watch from the lobby (right).”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The York sparring match, being M.A. Clarke’s first set to, & who is likely to become the champion of all England [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. March 1st, 1809, by Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, [1 March 1809]

Catalog Record

809.03.01.01+

Acquired April 2023

Country sport

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Print shows a man and a boy chasing a pig in the yard of a country alehouse. In the background, another man pauses to remove his hat and wipe his brow, while a fourth has evidently tripped and lies sprawling on the ground. A dog barks at the commotion.

 

  • Title: Country sport [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record

812.00.00.114 Impression 2

Acquired August 2022

The artist

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“The artist in his studio scratching his head perplexed by a landscape composition.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: The artist [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. Aug. 30, 1812, by T. Palser, Bridge Road, Lambeth, [30 August 1812]

Catalog Record

812.08.30.01

Acquired November 2022

The peddigree of Corporal Violet

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“The base of the design is a dunghill from which rises the head of Napoleon as a young republican officer, not caricatured. His head is covered by a large cup-shaped fungus, decorated with a tricolour cockade and resembling a Cap of Liberty; from its apex ascends a curving stalk, terminating in the large yellow rosette of a sunflower, centred by the head of Napoleon as Emperor, larger than that of the base, and representing an older man; like the lower one it is directed slightly to the right. Below it, leaves project from the stalk, balancing the design. On Napoleon’s head is an arrangement of stamens in the form of an imperial crown. These unite to form the long scraggy neck of the third Napoleon, a head in profile to the right, emaciated and desperate. On this head is a larger fungus than that below, projecting like an enormous hat. From it ascend the stems of a bunch of violets, copied from No. 12511, but with the addition of more flowers, and on a larger scale. It contains the profiles of Napoleon, Marie Louise, and the King of Rome, arranged exactly as in British Museum Satires No. 12511. Smaller fungi sprout from the dunghill, some flat and some conical, like caps of Liberty; on the latter tricolour cockades are indicated. Four little figures are on a slope (left) leading towards the dunghill, prepared to clear it away. In front are Blücher and Wellington, running forward, and talking to each other; one holds a spade, the other a broad hoe. Behind them is the Tsar, shouldering a pickaxe. Behind again stands Louis XVIII, with splayed gouty legs, supported on a crutch. He waves his hat to cheer them on.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1780-1842, printmaker.
  • Title: The peddigree of Corporal Violet [graphic] / etchd. by G. Cruikk. ; G.H. invt. et del.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. by H. Humphrey June 9th, 1815 – No. 27 St. James’s St., [9 June 1815]

Catalog Record

815.06.15.02+

Acquired April 2023

The distrest poet

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A poet sits at a table, pen in hand, posed to write on the sheet of paper before him. On the floor is a discarded piece of paper. His hat and coat hang from a peg on the wall beside the chimney above which is a shelf of books and a picture of a Greek temple. The only other furnishings in the room are a broken chair, a folding bed tilted up against the wall, and a chamber pot.

 

  • Title: The distrest poet [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record

812.00.00.92 Impression 2

Acquired August 2022

The one-eyed husband, or, The wife’s dream

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A scene in a chamber with the end of canopy bed visible in the background, left. A woman in her undergarments, a candlestick in the foreground positioned suggestively between her legs, reaches out to cover her husband’s one good eye as he walks through the front door; behind her, her lover escapes undetected with his clothes over his arm. Outside, through the open door, a servant can be seen leading a horse, with a barn across the yard. To the right of the door, a chamber pot sits on a ladder-back chair with a hat and a fiddle hanging off pegs on the wall above.

 

  • Creator: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, artist.
  • Title: [The one-eyed husband, or, The wife’s dream] [art original] / T. Rowlandson.
  • Production: [England], [late 18th century?]

Catalog Record

Drawings R79 no. 21 Box D207

Acquired November 2022

The march of intellect

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An aspirational dustman in ragged clothes, a monocle hanging from his hat, and smoking a cigar, sits in a chair before the hearth reading a book, “An introduction to the pleasures of … schince by Barnart Botherum […] dedicated to the majesty of the people”. On the table are bowl, a goblet and a bottle of Port. On the wall hangs a landscape and on the mantel a bust of Shakespeare. The dog at his feet stares at the fire, the bones of fish dinner on a plate beside him. A large bell sits on the floor beside the dustman.

 

  • Printmaker: Heath, Henry, active 1824-1850, printmaker.
  • Title: The march of intellect [graphic] / H. Heath del.
  • Publication: London : Published April 1828 by S. Maunder, 10 Newgate Street, [April 1828]

Catalog Record

828.04.00.03

Acquired June 2022

A satire on gin-drinking

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A satire on gin drinking: In a cellar distillery with a large cask a group of male figures with the heads of monkeys and women with heads of cats are drinking heavily with some vomiting.

 

  • Title: [A satire on gin-drinking] [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : [Robert Sayer?], [1766?]

Catalog record

766.00.00.08+ Impression 2

Acquired November 2022