The Union!

description below

“Pitt (left) and St. Patrick (right) bestride bulls whose horns are locked in combat, their noses pressed together; the bulls are similar, but the Irish animal is sturdier, its head heavier, its tail erect. Pitt wears armour with a plumed helmet and a cloak. He holds a baton and says: “Never fear St Patrick all will be yet very well they are a little restive at first but they will take to it, kindly enough bye and bye – I’ll warrant you.” St. Patrick, wearing a tiara and holding a crozier, says: “Pon my Conscience I don’t know what you call it but the duece of any thing like an Union do I see except their horns being fastened together”. Pitt’s cloak and St. Patrick’s robe fly out, as if the two had been riding rapidly towards their impact.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker.
  • Title: The Union! [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Publish’d Janry. 1801 by R. Ackermann, N. 101 Strand, [January 1801]

Catalog Record

801.01.00.01+

Acquired February 2024

Johnny Bull on the look-out

description below

“John Bull (right), a fat citizen wearing spectacles, holds aside a curtain, revealing Napoleon and Joséphine enthroned, side by side. He stands in profile to the left, a large pistol under his left arm, his left hand in his coat-pocket. He says: “Boney – Boney, that wont do – You must not Play my King & Queen.” Napoleon, wearing a huge bicorne, a drawn sabre in his right hand, frowns at John. Joséphine wears a crown, holds sceptre and orb and looks complacently to the left. Both sit with right foot planted regally on a stool, and left leg arrogantly thrust forward.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: Johnny Bull on the look-out, or, Bonaparte detected drilling his rib at the play of King & Queen of England [graphic] : scene St. Cloud.
  • Publication: [London] : Publish’d Septr. 12, 1803, by Laurie & Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, London, [12 September 1803]

Catalog Record

803.09.12.01

Acquired November 2023

Broken gingerbread

description below

“A sequel to British Museum Satires No. 10518, Gillray’s ‘Tiddy-Doll’. Napoleon, haggard and desperate, wearing tattered uniform without the former apron and sword, walks in profile to the left, carrying on his head a large tray. On this stand three gingerbread kings, burlesqued and mutilated, with two queens, a detached head (crowned), and (right) a pile of imperial emblems: crowns, mitre, sceptre, eagle, flag, &c. On the left a bonnet rouge hangs from a staff. In the middle stands an imperial eagle with a tricolour flag to which is tied a broom showing that the contents of the tray are for sale. Napoleon says (with grimly closed mouth): “Buy my Image! Here’s my nice little Gingerbread Emperor & Kings Retail and for Exportation!” Behind him is a tumbledown thatched hovel; over an aperture where more gingerbread figures are displayed is a board: ‘Tiddy-Doll Gingerbread Baker. NB Removed from Paris.’ Above fly three of the (carrion) birds associated in these prints with Elba. Napoleon walks towards the sea; across the water (in France) tiny figures dance holding hands round a white flag inscribed ‘Vivent les Bourbons’ and topped by a fleur-de-lis. Behind them is the gable-end of a rustic inn: ‘The Kings Head New Revived’. A fiddler capers on the edge of the cliff, watching Napoleon.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: Broken gingerbread [graphic] / G.H. invt. ; G. Cruikshank fect.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 21st, 1814, by H. Humphrey, St. James’s Street, [21 April 1814]

Catalog Record

814.04.21.01

Acquired November 2023

Buy a broom?!!

description below

“Brougham stands in profile to the left, selling brooms; he holds up one, two are under his left arm. He wears a barrister’s wig and bands, with a small conical cap tied under the chin, a tight-fitting bodice, and a full petticoat to the knee, showing flat feet and large and ill-formed legs in black stockings. The dress is that of the German and Flemish girls who sold brooms in the London streets …”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: Buy a broom?!! [graphic] / John Birch delt. ; Query fecit.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. May 13th, 1825, by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James’s St. St. [sic], [13 May 1825]

Catalog Record

825.05.13.01

Acquired November 2023

Hell hounds rallying round the idol of France

description below

“A colossal but life-like bust of Napoleon is placed on a mound of decollated human heads. He gazes fixedly upwards in profile to the left; round his neck and bare breast is twisted a noose of rope. Round this idol dance demons with human heads, holding hands. They are naked except for head-coverings, and have horns, hairy legs, tail, with one leg terminating in a cloven hoof, the other in the claw of a bird of prey. These ‘Hell Hounds’ have labels hanging from a collar of rope, showing that they are ‘Caulincourt’, ‘Fouché’, ‘Savory’, with a pen in his hat (he succeeded Fouché as Minister of Police in 1810), ‘Vandamme’, ‘Davoust’, ‘Ney’, ‘Lefebre’. Two demons fly towards the emperor, holding a large wreath which is on fire, with the inscription ‘He Deserves A Crown of Pitch.’ This they are about to place on the idol’s head, towards which gallops through the air a small demon (right) on a goat, blowing a horn. In the foreground lie dead and dying soldiers, one is decapitated, another (right) is naked and has lost an arm which he holds out with an agonized expression towards the idol. In the background (left) soldiers are feeding a bonfire with ‘English Goods’. On the right is a blazing town.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Printmaker: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker.
  • Title: Hell hounds rallying round the idol of France [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 8, 1815, by R. Ackermann, No. 101 Strand, [8 April 1815]

Catalog record

815.04.08.01+

Acquired November 2022

Buck metamorphos’d

description below

“Portrait of Samuel Foote in character; whole length, standing, wearing the latest ‘French’ fashions, including large fur muff, wig with pointed sides, mis-matched tights, and coat with over-sized cuffs; his outfit is scrutinized by two English gentlemen to the right; two men in background, one preparing a hat, bending over a dressing table with mirror.”–British Museum online catalogue.
On the back wall are two large framed pictures, both with scenes from mythology. On the left, Apollo with bow and arrow pursues Daphne who has begun the turn into a laurel tree. On the right, Leda and the swan.

  • Printmaker: Smith, Gabriel, 1724-1783, printmaker, artist.
  • Title: Buck metamorphos’d, or, Mr. Foote in the character of the Englishman return’d from Paris [graphic] / drawn & engrav’d by Gabl. Smith.
  • Publication: London : Printed for John Ryall & Robt. Withy, at Hogarth’s Head in Fleet Street, [ca. 1756]

Catalog Record

756.00.00.99+

Acquired January 2021

Five, in the afternoon

description below

“A young dandy lounging on a sofa with a young woman, holding up a glass, while she lays one hand on his knee, holding a glass herself, her elbow on a round table beside a bottle of Madeira and a dish of peaches; a bed seen through the open door in the background to right.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Title: Five, in the afternoon [graphic] / Dighton delt.
  • Publication: London : Published 18 June 1795 by Haines & Son, No. 19 Rolls Buildings, Fetter Lane, [18 June 1795]

Catalog Record

795.06.18.01+

Acquired January 2021

Lady Ann Campbell, Countess of Strafford

Lady Anne Campbell was born approximately 1715 and died in 1785. She was the wife of the 2nd Earl of Stafford.

  • PrintmakerJohnson, Thomas, active approximately 1763-1770, printmaker.
  • TitleLady Ann Campbell, Countess of Strafford [graphic] / J. Reynolds pinxt. ; T. Johnson fecit.
  • Edition[State 2].
  • Publication[London] : [publisher not identified], [between 1760 and 1780]

Catalog Record 

Portraits St896 no. 1++

Acquired September 2016

A French family

Click for larger image

Two couples — one middle age and the other youthful — dance in a shabby room.

  • Printmaker: Alken, Samuel, 1756-1815, printmaker.
  • Title: A French family [graphic] / T. Rowlandson delin. ; S. Alken fecit.

Catalog record & Digital collection

792.11.05.04++

Acquired November 2012