Tag Archives: Thrones

Transubstantiation, or, Symptoms of dictating, cabaling, conspiring, overawing…

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“The King (left), plainly dressed, sits on a chair on a dais, a pillar and curtain indicating the throne. He angrily addresses a band of Ministers (and others) who are encircled by a ribbon inscribed The Bond of Union; the end of this is held by the Pope (right). Raising a document inscribed Coronation Oath he exclaims: Is that your only Bond of Union? Is that the flimsey Thread that Ties this hetrogenous [sic] Mass. What? have ye hid your base designs beneath the Cloak of Secrecy? Think ye to Catch your Sovereign off his guard? to tempt him to forget his Solemn Oath? and by one desperate Stroke, destroy the Church & Constitution too?!! begone, and instantly give place to honest Men. Lady Conyngham peeps from behind his chair, saying, I do exceedingly Fear & Tremble. The nine Ministers, closely tied together, advance menacingly, each raising a cross in the right hand. The Pope, triumphant and sinister, also holding a cross, says: Strike My Son’s Now or never!! The four nearest the picture plane are (left to right) Canning, Brougham, Burdett, and Lansdowne with Scarlett just behind him; the other four are partly hidden and poorly characterized. Lansdowne is copied from satires of 1806-7, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer: he is dwarfish, and held up by the ‘Bond’, his legs dangling. Three say respectively: No bolting when you come to the Scratch; Nine to one will certainly be more–than a Match for him; Stick together. Above them flies a demon holding the firebrand of Discord, while Harmony, a winged child (right) holding a lyre, flies off discomfited.”–British Museum online catalogue

  • Title: Transubstantiation, or, Symptoms of dictating, cabaling, conspiring, overawing &c. &c. [graphic]
  • Creator: Heath, Henry, active 1824-1850, printmaker
  • Published: London, [16 May 1827]

Catalog Record

827.05.16.01+

Acquired June 2024

Great political magician giving the wand….

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“George IV, dressed as a magician, rises from the throne (right) to give a wooden sword to Canning, who is dressed as Harlequin. A clown (intended for Melville) turns his back on Canning and the King, to run off, registering anger and alarm. Wellington stands fiercely, with legs astride, both arms raised, holding his sword; he wears uniform with boots and cocked hat. On the left Eldon and Westmorland stand together, with flexed knees, registering senile dismay. The latter, dressed as Pantaloon, drops his crutch. The King, in a robe bordered with symbols (serpents, &c), has the curled wig and whiskers which he had discarded (cf. British Museum Satires No. 14637). He chants: Harlequin! the Gods above have now decreed That thou and all thy measures shall succeed. Fear not old El–n, nor that Pantaloon, West—-d, the bold Duke, nor the Scotch Clown. Who e’er opposeth thee, thou by love shalt thrive; Thy Genius and my Cunning him shall drive To H–ll’s abyss. Let virtue be thy guide– This wand I give thee–stick it to thy side.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker:  Phillips, John, active 1825-1831, printmaker.
  • Title: Great political magician giving the wand of power to his cunning harlequin [graphic] / Phillips fec.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James’s St., May 19, 1827.

Catalog Record

827.05.19.01+

Acquired June 2024

When a Prince, few were like him!!!

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“Caricature on George IV, seated on his throne, to whom John Bull presents the Queen’s letter.”–British Museum online catalogue.
  • Printmaker: Vowles, S., active 1820-1825, printmaker.
  • Title: When a Prince, few were like him!!! Now a king, compleatly, without his equal!!!! [graphic] / SV[owl]es fect.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. 29 Augt. 1820 by one of the Society for Exposing of Vice, [29 August 1820]

Catalog Record

820.08.29.01

Acquired June 2024

The city address

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“The King, plainly dressed in black, tries to hide, ostrich-like, from the two Sheriffs of London, who kneel before him, holding their wands of office. The foremost, on both knees, his hand on his heart, says: We are deputed by the Corporation to wait upon your M—-ty most humbly to know when it will be convenient to receive the dutiful address of your M—-tys ancient and loyal City of London. The second sheriff, less obsequious, says: The Citizens are suprised at yr M—-tys Backwardness, the Corporation looks blue, and the Lord Mayor is in a Brown Study. The King, poised on his toes, stoops over the throne, a plain arm-chair, as if to take cover, looking behind him from the corners of his averted eyes. He says: I’m not at home. An elderly Lord Chamberlain, also in black, leans forward on tiptoe, supporting himself on the back of the throne, one arm held out above the King’s bent back with a gesture of negation to the Sheriffs and protection to the King, saying, He say’s “he’s not at home! The title is centred by two heraldic turtles and the City’s motto: Domini Direge Nos [sic]..”–British Museum online catalogue

  • Printmaker: Heath, Henry, active 1824-1850, printmaker.
  • Title: The city address [graphic] / H. Heath.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. June 22, 1827, at 26 Haymarket, [22 June 1827]

Catalog Record

827.06.22.01+

Acquired June 2024

Johnny Bull on the look-out

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“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

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

A comfortable thing to be king of Greece

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“Prince Leopold sits enthroned, flanked by his new subjects; he wears uniform with a crown, and sits on a two-tiered circular dais in a chair of state, the seat of which is covered with giant thorns. Punctured and frightened, he grasps the arms of his chair with crisped fingers; his toes are drawn back, touching the ground, and he looks towards a savage-looking Greek (right) who kneels before him with a long knife held behind his back. A similar ruffian kneels on the left; others approach menacingly from the left, one smoking a long pipe and grasping a knife. They wear Greek costume with embroidered jackets and full white breeches. On the right are long-robed ecclesiastics, headed by a bearded patriarch with a cross in one hand, a knife in the other.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: A comfortable thing to be king of Greece [graphic] / W. Heath.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. March 6, 1830 by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket, [6 March 1830]

Catalog Record

830.03.06.01+

Acquired November 2020

Tirania

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Ferdinand VII, seated on a throne on a low platform inscribed “TIRANIA”, is flanked by two advisers, the Devil on the left and a friar on the right. At the friar’s feet, in the foreground, a demon burns newspapers with a firebrand. Tortures of the Inquisition are seen in the background.

  • Title: Tirania [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : Washington, pubd. Novr. 1818.

Catalog Record

818.11.00.01+

Acquired March 2020

The blessed effects of a united cabinet

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“George IV, seated on the throne, watches a display of jovial fraternization between John Bull and Pat, who dance, holding hands, each holding up a hat decorated respectively by rose and shamrock. A lanky garland of (thornless) roses and giant shamrocks drapes the crown on the back of the throne; one end is held up by Wellington (right), on the King’s left, the other by Peel on his right, so that the King is framed by it. J. B. is an obese and drink-blotched “cit”, with a snuff-box inscribed ‘Irish’ in his waistcoat pocket. Pat is a ragged Irish peasant, his bare legs swathed by twisted straw; his shillelagh lies on the ground; he looks with a broad but appraising grin at J. B., who sings: “Together reared together grown, Oh! let us now unite in one, Let friendship rivet the decree, Nor bigots sever Pat and Me!!!” Two discomfited ‘bigots’ depart on the left; one is a gouty parson using a crutch, with a ‘Petition against Concession’ hanging from his pocket, cf. British Museum Satires No. 15661, &c. The other is a Catholic bishop in robe and mitre. They say: ‘It’s time for us to be off.’ Above their heads flies a figure of Discord, her hair consisting of snakes which spit flame towards J. B. The King, with extended arm, says: ‘No more let Bigotry distract the Nation, Nor Priestcraft nurture lawless passion, Henceforth let rage and tumult cease, As brothers live and die in peace!!!'”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Printmaker: Jones, Thomas Howell, active 1823-1848, printmaker.
  • Title: The blessed effects of a united cabinet, or, The glorious march of intellect [graphic] / T. Jones fect.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. April 1829 by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly, [April 1829]

Catalog Record

829.04.00.17+

Acquired December 2020

King Henry the Eigth [sic] & Anna Bullen

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lwl32073_M (823x1024)

King Henry VIII leads Anne Boleyn towards the throne. A melancholy Cardinal Wolsey leans his head in his hand as he glances sideways toward the couple. In the background Katherine of Aragon sitting in another throne and turns away from the couple to converse with Anne’s former lover, Lord Percy. A young page carries the train of Anne’s dress as she enters the palace.

  • Printmaker: Hogarth, William, 1697-1764, printmaker.
  • Title: King Henry the Eigth [sic] & Anna Bullen [graphic] / design’d & engrav’d by Wm. Hogarth.
  • Edition: [State 5].
  • Published: London : Printed for Robert Wilkinson, Cornhil, Carington Bowles in St. Pauls Church Yard & R. Sayer, in Fleet Street, [circa 1790]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

Acquired October 2014