He
was born in Chelsea. His father, native of Lanark, was as a
soldier, losing an arm at the Battle of Fontenoy, and was admitted,
first as an inmate, and afterwards as an outdoor pensioner, to Chelsea
Hospital. Gillray started his working life at learning
letter-engraving. This employment,being boring, he travelled for a time
with a company of strolling players. He returned to London as a student
in the Royal Academy, supporting himself by engraving, and probably
issuing a number of caricatures under fictitious names. His
caricatures are almost all in etching, some with
aquatint, a few using stipple . None can correctly be
described as engravings, although this term is often loosely used of
them. Paddy on Horseback, which appeared in 1779, is the
first caricature which is certainly his. Two caricatures on Rodney's
naval victory, issued in 1782, were among the first of the memorable
series of his political sketches.
The name of Gillray's publisher and print seller, Miss Hannah
Humphrey—whose shop was first at 227 Strand, then in New Bond
Street, then in Old Bond Street, and finally in St James's
Street—is personally associated with that of the caricaturist
himself. Gillray lived with Miss (often called Mrs) Humphrey during
most of his working life. He several times thought of marrying her, and
that on one occasion the pair were on their way to the church, when
Gillray said: "This is a foolish affair, methinks, Miss Humphrey. We
live very comfortably together; we had better let well alone." There is
no clear evidence, , to support the stories scandalmongers
invented about their relationship. Gillray's plates were shown in
Humphrey's shop window.His
eyesight
started failing him, causing him to stop work in 1809. Depressed he
turned to drink, and in July 1811 Gillray attempted to kill himself
by throwing himself out of attic window above Humphrey's shop. During
1811 he became mad, although he had
occasional intervals of sanity, when he did his last work. The approach
of madness may have been hastened by his lifestyle. Gillray died on 1
June 1815, and was buried in St James's churchyard, Piccadilly.
A selection of Gillray's works appeared in 1818; but the
first good edition from the original plates was Thomas McLean's, which
was published on quality ragpaper, in 1830. In 1849/1851 Henry George
Bohn put out an edition, from the original plates in a handsome
elephant folio, the coarser sketches—commonly known as the
"Suppressed Plates"—being published in a separate volume.
This is on a poorer paper that can suffer from numerous edge tears as
paper quality was sacrificed for a lighter weight to take the
impressions from an aging plate. . . ie pic may be crisp but unlesss
you watch the paper will be too!
|
'The bear and his leader'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey hand-coloured etching,
published 19 May 1806 caricature by Gillray, published on the 19th of
May, was entitled, " The bear and his leader,"Fox is represented as a
bear muzzled and led in a chain by his master, Lord Grenville : he
says, " What though I am obliged to dance a bear, a man may be a
gentleman for all that ;" Lord Grenville has a cudgel in his hand,
inscribed, " Cudgel for disobedient Bears." A paper inscribed, "
Rewards for obedient Bears," hangs from his pocket. He calls out,
"Don't be afraid of my Bear, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have tamed and
muzzled him, and reformed his habits :" " My Bear ever dances to the
genteelest of tunes." Lord Sidmouth enacts the part of a blind old
fiddler with a wooden leg, and is playing " God save the King " to the
dancing of the bear. From his pocket hangs, " Pray remember your poor
and old blind Fiddler." Lord Henry Petty, as a monkey, holds the bear's
tail with one hand, and a cap in the other, to collect contributions ;
he is dancing, at his feet is the ballad, And a begging we will go."
One of the bear's feet is on " Sa ira." Behind Lord Sidmouth hangs out
a signpost, inscribed "Pro Bono Publico. Superb fine Exhibition at the
Bear-Garden, Broad-Bottom Alley. Orpheus charming the Brutes, with a
grand accompaniment by Dr. Sangrado." By his side, " Pease Soup, or
Bruin's Delight, a Ballet ;" and " Bubble and Squeak, a Duett," an
allusion to Lord Grenville's relatives, Sir Watkins William Winn and
Mr. Charles Winn, so nick -named. The insinuation intended to be
conveyed by Gillray in this print is, that Fox having owed his
introduction to office to Lord Grenville, to whom the King had given a
carte blanche to form an Administration, was thereby reduced to
subordination to that Nobleman. The constitution of the Cabinet, and
the measures adopted by the new Ministers, particularly the mode of
opening the negotiation for peace with Franco, and the frank and
conciliatory spirit in which it was conducted, proved that Fox's genius
was in the ascendant. Fox loved to take counsel with his colleagues on
terms of equality ; he would not have brooked a superior. Lord
Grenville had the good sense to appreciate the value of his alliance.
He was the only man of the party who could, at that time, have led the
House of Commons with equal success. It redounds to the honour of the
three sections which constituted the Cabinet, that they seem to have
acted together with mutual confidence, unalloyed by jealousy,,as long
as the health of Fox was spared to share in their deliberations ** Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow top margin..***rom 'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £75
post inclusive
|
VENUS A LA COQUILLE; OK, THE SWAN-SEA VENUS. March 28th, 1809.
This is said to represent Mrs.
Jones, of Swansea, a celebrated whip, frequently seen in Hyde Park,
driving a curricle. It is a very correct representation both of her
person and costume. One of her attendants is said to have been a
particular favourite. Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a larger
sheet, narrow top margin..***from 'The Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £75
post inclusive
|
THE NEW DYNASTY; OR, THE LITTLE CORSICAN GARDENER PLANTING A ROYAL
PIPPIN TREE. June 25th, 1807.
COBBETT. SIR F. BURDETT. HOENE TOOKE. LORD MOIRA. NAPOLEON. TALLEYRAND.
LORD GRENVILLE. MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.
Gillray has combined a double satire in this print, one on the late
Ministers for the introduction of the " Catholic Bill," and the other
on the king-making proceedings of Napoleon. On the right of the
spectator is the " Royal Oak." On its top is placed a crown in honour
of its having sheltered Charles II. ; it now bears the goodly fruit of
" Protestant Faith," " Integrity of the Lords," " Independence of the
Commons," and " Liberty of the Press." Lord Howick with the " Whig
Cleaver," the Marquis of Buckingham with a " Broad-Bottom Hatchet," and
Lord Grenville with a " Catholic Cleaver," are labouring to fell the
venerable tree, that is, the British Constitution. Lord Grenville has a
crucifix hanging down his back, indicative of the favours he had
proposed to bestow on the Roman Catholics.* Couktney is placed between
Lord Ellenborongb and Lord Sidmonth. The face presents a striking
resemblance of this most intimate friend of Fox, who was a frequent
visitor at St. Anne's Hill. It is said to be the only portrait of him.
On the left is Napoleon preparing to plant the " Royal Pippin" Tree.
Talleyrand has already dug a hole of sufficient circumference to
receive it; in his coat-pocket is seen "projet pour aggrandiser les
Jardins Imperials." " William the Norman Robber" forms the root of the
tree* The branches bear memorials of "Crooked-backed Richard killed at
Bosworth; Edmund, the fourth son of Edward III.," and other
unfortunates. A crowned head of Lord Moira is placed on the top of the
Royal Pippin Tree, intimating that he claimed to be descended from the
Irish royal race of Ballynahinch. Buonaparte's sword has inscribed on
it " Corsican Grafting Knife." Behind him arc his newly grafted Royal
Pippin Trees in Holland, Saxony, and Wirtemberg, &c. On the
ground are " Grafts of King Pippins for Brentford, Wimbledon, and
Botley.*' The heads of Horne Tooke, Cobbett, and Burdett are
crowned. ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet,
narrow margin..***rom 'The Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £75
post inclusive
|
DESTRUCTION OF THE FRENCH
GUN-BOATS; OR, LITTLE BONEY AND HIS FRIEND TALLY IN HIGH GLEE. Nov.
22nd, 1803.
TALLEYRAND. BUONAPARTE.
Napoleon rejoicing at the destruction of his own troops. The
callousness with which the Ruler of France looks on the fate of
thousands of his soldiers who perished in snipporting his ambition was
proverbial. It was supposed by some that he looked forward with no
feelings of regret to the immense loss of life which, must attend on
his attempt to effect a landing upon the British shores, as a relief to
him, by checking the military spirit which he had excited to such a
pitch that he could no longer manage it himself.Hand Coloured. Trimmed
from a larger sheet, narrow top margin..***from 'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £75
post inclusive
|
266.
HOPE. April 8th, 1802.
MR. DICKEN80N. LORD HAWKESBURY. ADDINGTON. The group within the House
is nearly the same as that ponrtrayed in the above print. Dickenson,
who is looking in from the lobby, listens to the hopeful promises of
the ministerial orator.
267. DESPAIR. April 8th, 1802.
ROBSON. TYRWHITT JONES. MARTIN. SIR F. BURDETT. In this Gillray makes
Robson thus address the Speaker: —" We are all ruinated, Sir!
all diddled, Sir 1 abused by placemen, Sir! bankrupts all, Sir! not
worth £16. 10«, Sir!" Behind him is Tyrwhitt Jones,
who has inscribed on his coat:—" Ignorance of the old
Administration; Stupidity of the new Administration; Ministerial Tricks
; Plunder; Blunder; Collusion; Impeachment; Banishment ."This refers to
an occurrence in the House of Commons. Robson, who during the secession
of the Whigs had been a constant attendant on Parliamentary duties, on
the 4th of March, 1802, in a Committee of Supply, after expatiating on
the extravagant expenditure of the country, observed:—" The
finances of the country were in so desperate a situation, that
Government were unable to discharge its bills ; for a fact had come
within his knowledge, of a bill accepted by Government having been
dishonoured." The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Addington)
said:—" The House ought to expect of the Hon. Gentleman to
state the precise fact to which he had alluded; and name a day on which
he would bring it forward, and prove it; if he did not, the next step
would be for the House to proceed and censure him for the use of such
expression; for no man ought to make a heavy charge against Government
any more than individuals, and allege a fact for the basis of such
charge without being prepared to bring proof of such fact." Poor Robson
seems to have been afraid of being sent to the Tower, and said, " it
was an expression which came out in the warmth of speech.'' But Martin,
the banker,* Member for Tewkesbury, advanced to his rescue, and quieted
his fears. He said, that an acceptance of the Sick and Hurt Office, in
his hands, had been presented, and had met the fate described by the
Hon. Member. Addington now said, " Whether or not the bill was paid,
remains to be proved; but my information comes from the same source as
the Hon. Member derives his accusation. At all events, the instance of
the Hon. Member of the insolvency of Government is a bill of
£19. 7s." Robson now took courage^ and replied, " that was so
much the worse, as the bill was in the hands of a poor man who wanted
the money."— Hansard, vol. 36, pp. 347-50.
* Martin was a plain-spoken, rongh, independent Member of Parliament,
lie sat in Parliament many years for the borongh of Tewkesbury. He
conscientiously supported Whig principles : but when Fox formed the
coalition with Lord North, Martin scarcely ever addressed the House
without denouncing the coalition in the most bitter terms, as a
compromise of principles. One day he said he wished the House would
order a starling to be placed in it, to occasionally call out,
"coalition, Cursed Coalition." Fox goodhumouredly replied, the Hon.
Member might save himself the trouble of procuring the bird ; for while
he remained a Member of the House, he would perform to admiration the
proposed office of the starling. Martin, however, could not long
support Tory measures, and returned to the ranks of the Whigs, and
remained with them during the remainder of hit Parliamentary career.
Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a larger
sheet, narrow margin..***from 'The Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive PAIR
|
'INFANTERIE FRANCAISE EN EGYPTE&emdash; LE GENERAL ASNE
CONVERTED TO IBRAHIM BEY. March }2th, 1799.
The troops in the Egyptian campaign upon asses, a circumstance which
could not fail to furnish subject for satire. It seems doubtful whether
the commander, or the animal which carries him, is giving the word of
command. published by Hannah Humphrey in 1799 by James Gillray .Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow top margin..***from 'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £65
post inclusive
|
. JOHN
BULL AND THE SINKING FUND:—A
PETTY SCHEME FOR REDUCING THE TAXES, AND PAYING OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT !
February 29th, 1807.MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. LORD ORENVILLE. LORD TEMPLE.
LORD SIDMOUTH. LORD ELLENBOROUGH. LORD H. PETTY. LORD LIVERPOOL. LORD
CASTLEREAGH. CANNING.
John Ball is kneeling on the " Rock of Broad-Bottom'd Security;" on his
back is placed " The Sinking Fund; i.e. Taxations of 42 Millions per
Annum," and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Lord H. Petty) is standing
upon it, shovelling down guineas to his clamorous adherents. Lord
Grenville, the Marquis of Buckingham and Lord Temple are endeavouring
to catch some. The Duke of Norfolk holds up a punch-bowl inscribed "
The Majesty of the People." Lord Erskine holds up "The Chancellor's
Purse." Lord Moira raises his military hat, with the Prince's feathers
stuck into it—the Duke of Clarence, the " Royal Jordan."
Sheridan, in a harlequin's dress, holds up his cap with his right hand,
and his wand is behind him in his left, &c. &c. John
Bull exclaims, " Toss away! Toss away, my good Boy ! Toss away ! Oh,
how kind it is to ease me of this terrible load !" Lord Henry Petty
answers, " Patience, Johnny! arn't I tossing away as fast as I can ?
Arn't I reducing your taxes to 17s and 6d in the pound ? Why, you ought
to think yourself quite comfortable and easy, Johnny !" On the other
side is seen a broken column overhung by a cypress tree; on the
pedestal is inscribed," Sacred to the Memory of Departed Greatness,"
(Pitt). The ex-Ministers and their friends are lamenting their unhappy
fate, that none of the golden shower descends upon them. Lord
Castlereagh says, "A few scatterings this way would be very acceptable
indeed!" Canning says, " O the Petty cheat! that Sinking Fund was our
invention, and not to have a snack of it at last, oh ! oh !" Vausittart
holds in his hands " Finance Resolutions," and exclaims, "My Sinking
Fund would have cleared it off in half the time." Lord Liverpool is
despairingly holding up his hat. Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow margin..***from
'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive
|
'The keenest sportsman in Broomswell camp, 1803' (William Tuder?)
Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow margin..***from
'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive
|
A Tub for the Whale!
Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow margin..***from
'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive
|
Introduction of Citizen Volpone & his suite, at Paris..
Having supported the French Revolution, the English politician Charles
James Fox withdrew from Parliament when France declared war on England
in 1797. After the Peace of Amiens in 1802 he went to Paris to research
a history of the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 and was invited to a
levee at the Tuileries by Napoleon, a meeting satirised here. Unusually
Napoleon is treated kindly: it is Fox, his wife and entourage who are
being ridiculed. Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow margin..***from
'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive
|
557. FINE BRACING WEATHER. Feb. 10th, 1808.
558. WINDY WEATHER. Feb. 10th, 1808.
Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow
margin..***from 'The
Genuine
Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. 2 vols.
1830. ——Illustrative description of the
genuine works of … J. G. [With
a prefatory notice subscribed T. M[’Lean].] ie Thomas McLean
on heavy ragpaper from original plates printed 1830. £85
post inclusive PAIR
|
|
