John Bull stands defiantly in the center of a crowd of angry men — military officers, gentlemen of various ages, tradesmen, and an amputee — most of whom hold out bills ranging between £50 and £5000; the speech bubbles above their heads read: “King’s taxes”; “Police rate”; “Parish rates”; “Excise duties”; “Tithes church rates pew rents & Easter doos [sic]”; “Sundres &c.” John Bull’s response reads, “Damme ye had better devour me., ye voratious crew. Am I never to have my hands out of my pocket again, but ‘t wont last long lads. I shall soon be in the Gazette & then ye lazy drones ye must work hard for you own livings.” The man with a large belly on the lower right carries a little dog under his arm.

• Creator: Grant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, artist.
• Title: The present state of John Bull [drawing].
• Created: [England, between 1830 and 1852?]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

Drawings G761 no. 7 Box123

Acquired November 2013