| After
failing as a portrait painter,
Gillray worked as a freelenace engraver and etcher. After 1782 he
started producing political satires, mainly inspired by the
conflict between the Whigs and the Tories, the French Revolution
and war against Napoleon. Originally his caricatures would have
been issued separately, mainly from the print shop of his mistress,
Hannah Humphrey, in St. James's Street, London. 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. He
failed, and survived four years of insanity before dying in
1815. |
528. A BROAD HINT OF NOT MEANING TO DANCE.
November 20th, 1804. One of those imaginative sketches, which afford
such admirable pictures of contemporary manners. From a Brownlow North
sketch..Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger sheet, narrow side margin..***rfom '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. £95 post inclusive
|
531. FORTUNE HUNTING. Nov. 20th, 1804.
Another of Brownlow North's sketches..Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger sheet, narrow side margin..***rfom '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. £95 post
inclusive
|
AN OLD MAID ON A JOURNEY. Nov. 20th, 1804.
The satire in this print is said to be both general and particular, as
the artist is supposed to have personified in his old maids the well
known Miss Banks, whose collections have enriched the British
Museum...Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger sheet, narrow side margin..***rfom '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. £95 post inclusive
|
THE CHURCH MILITANT. Sept. 5th, 1779.
The allusion appears to be the zeal shewn by the Church in supporting
the Government in the war against the American colonies, and in the new
war against Spain, which broke out in the autumn of 1779. Cornwallis
Archbishop of Canterbury, Markham Archbishop of York, and Butler Bishop
of Oxford, all political partizans of Lord North, are probably among
these clerical warriors.Horace Walpole, in a letter dated rather
earlier, writes: —" Our Abbots and Whitgifts now see with what
successes and consequences their preaching up a crusade against America
has been crowned! Archbishop Markham may have an opportunity of
exercising his martial prowess. I doubt he would resemble Bishop Crewe
more than good Mr. Baker. Let us respect those only who are Israelites
indeed." Bohn Edition NOT cropped in a mount £75 inc
|
457. WALTZER AU MOCCHOIR. Jan. 20th, 1800.
This was intended for a quiz upon the then foreign dance, waltzing,
somewhat like the foregoing upon foreign dress. It may be easily
distinguished as the work of an amateur...Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger sheet, narrow side margin..***rfom '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. £45 post inclusive
|
Palemon
and
Lavinia2
A loutish yokel grins at a hideous older countrywoman . . a
travesty of the four seaons tale . . .where the ‘lovely young
Lavinia’ gleaned the fields of Palemon, ‘the
pride of swains’ … ‘who led the rural life in all
its joy and
elegance’. .by Thompson After the title reads;. . He saw
her charming; - but he saw not half. . .The Charms her downcast Modesty
conceal’d. –£40 unmounted Bohn
edition pic done in electric light sorry x 3 post
inclusive
|
Palemon and Lavinia1
A loutish yokel grins at a hideous older countrywoman . . a
travesty of the four seaons tale . . .£40 unmounted Bohn
edition
some foxing
post inclusive
|
The Magnanimous Minister Chastising
Prussian
Perfidy,
published by Hannah
Humphrey in 1806 by James Gillray.
shows FOX. THE KING OP PRUSSIA. NAPOLEON. hands held up suppliantly
to Fox ; his sword has droppefrom his grasp. Fox's right foot is
trampling upon it. Fox stands over the King with a drawn sword, and
exclaims, "Oh, you Prussian Marauder, you ! What, I'vecaught you at
last ? What, you took me for a double-faced Talleyrand, did you ?
Did you think I was likeyourself, to look one way and row another ?
What, youthought because I make loyal speeches now, that I must be
a turncoat. 0 you Frenchified Villain ! I'll teach you to humbug
and insult my poor dear, dear Master, and to join with such rascals
as Boney and O'Connor." The King of Prussia replies, " Indeed,
indeed, indeed I could not help it." Fox's left hand is placed
behind him, holding a paper inscribed "The State of the Nation;" it
is thereby insinuated that his speeches while in opposition had
described the country to be so inadequately defended that the
French Emperor was encouraged to undertake its invasion *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **
£85 post inclusive
|
Armed Heroes, or Military Appearances
at St. Stephen's & at
St. Cloud's on the Day of Defiance.
ARMED HEROES. May 18th,
1803.LORD HAWKESBURY.
ADDINGTON. BUONAPARTE. Addington acting the hero, while his
colleague, Lord Hawkesbury, is very tamely repeating his grand
threat of marching to Paris. The mixture of courage and fear in the
attitude and language of the Minister is admirable London,
H.G.Bohn, 1851. Etching, 260 x 360mm. Coloured. Trimmed from larger
sheet, narrow top margin.Military posturing: Henry Addington and a
diminutive Napoleon facing each other defiantly across a narrow
channel. First published 1803.Later colour.This is from the later
Bohn Edition of 1849 to 51 ** *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **£85 post
inclusive
|
The Grand Signior Retiring
** One of the rarer
suppressed" engravings that was not
generally sold as offensive to Ladies etc.The Prince of Wales,
eldest son of King George III, attending his mistress, Lady Jersey,
with the connivance of her elderly, shambling husband.*
*Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **
£65 post inclusive
|
The Surrender of Ulm, or
Buonaparte and General Mack coming to a
right Understanding,
published by Hannah Humphrey in
1805 (hand-coloured etching) by
James Gillray (1757-1815) This print is a severe but well-merited
satire on the disgraceful SURRENDER OP ULM on the 17th of October,
1805, and plainly intimates that it was effected by bribery.
Buonaparte is sitting on a drum-head. His sword is in his right
hand, pointing to the prostrate Field-Marshal Mack, whom he thus
addresses : " THERE'S YOUR PRICE. There's ten millions ! Twenty !
It is not in my army alone that my resources of conquering consist
! I hate victory obtained by effusion of blood \" Mack replies, "
And so do I too ! What signifies fighting when we can settle it in
a safer way ! ! \" Mack is delivering up " The Keys of Ulm" with
his right hand, and his sword with his left. By Mack's side is
placed THE LIST OP THE ARTICLES to be delivered up : "1
Field-Marshal &emdash; 8 Generals-in-chief &emdash; 7
Lieutenant-Generals &emdash; 3ti thousand Soldiers
&emdash;
80 pieces of Cannon &emdash; 50 Stand of Colours
&emdash;
100,000 pounds of Powder &emdash; and 4000 cannon-balls."
Buonaparte points with his left hand to three soldiers bearing the
stipulated bribe, ready to be paid. A flag is waving over the heads
of the soldiers, inscribed " La Victoiro on la Mort." In front of
Buonaparte are standard-bearers with flags, inscribed, "Vive
Buonaparte:" "Vive L'Empereur Napoleon." *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £65 post
inclusive
|
INDEPENDENCE. June 9th, 1799.
TYRWH1TT JON ES.the way, I
can tell him I am no Pizarro
! I'll not hold up the devil's tail to fish for a place, or a
pension ! I'm no skulker. No, nor no seceder neither ! I'll not
keep out of the way, for fear of being told my own. Here's my
place, and here I ought to speak. I warrant I'll not sneak into
taverns to drink humbug toasts that I am afraid to explain
&emdash; not I ! My motto is, ' Independence and Old England,'
and that for all the rest of the world. There&emdash; that
!&emdash; that !&emdash; that !" We cannot trace to
what
speech this alludes. Pizarro was brought out on the 24th of May ;
the print is dated June the 9th. The occurrence must, therefore,
have taken place in this interval, because he calls Sheridan "
Pizarro." There is not the slightest allusion to any attack of this
description made upon Sheridan by Tyrwhitt Jones, or any other
speaker, reported in Hansard's Debates during the period. The
allusion to humbug toasts, &c., is intended to refer to the
speeches and toasts at the Whig Club. The collectors of prints call
the first impressions of the " March to Finchley" " the Sunday
print," because Hogarth by mistake dated it on a Sunday. Gillray
has here made a similar mistake. June the 9th, 1 799, was on a
Sunday. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £65 post inclusive
|
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE INQUISITION
MARKING THE INCORRIGIBLES.
March 19th, 1793.
BTJEKE. Gillray was at this
time rather indiscriminate
in his attacks, and he here caricatures the violent zeal with which
Burke supported the party in whose ranks he now combated with as
much severity as he had just caricatured Fox. Burke, popularly
characterized as " the Jesuit," for his open advocacy of the
Catholic claims in Ireland, is named to the Chancellorship of this
new Inquisition. The object of ridicule was the Ministerial
measures against the political clubs and societies, and it is
hardly necessary to say that the " Black List" is a parody on a
passage in Shakespeare's Richard III *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £45 post
inclusive
|
ALL BOND STREET TREMBLED AS HE STRODE.
May 8ih, 1802.
COLONEL TOWNSEND. This is a
portrait of Colonel
Townsend, of the Grenadier Guards, who was accustomed to walk up
and down Bond Street in a haughty, swaggering manner, which
acquired him the sobriquet of altitonant. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £40 post
inclusive
|
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE INQUISITION
MARKING THE INCORRIGIBLES.
March 19th, 1793.
BTJEKE. Gillray was at this
time rather indiscriminate
in his attacks, and he here caricatures the violent zeal with which
Burke supported the party in whose ranks he now combated with as
much severity as he had just caricatured Fox. Burke, popularly
characterized as " the Jesuit," for his open advocacy of the
Catholic claims in Ireland, is named to the Chancellorship of this
new Inquisition. The object of ridicule was the Ministerial
measures against the political clubs and societies, and it is
hardly necessary to say that the " Black List" is a parody on a
passage in Shakespeare's Richard III. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **£65 post inclusive
|
BLINDMAN'S BUFF; OR, TOO MANY FOR JOHN
BULL. June 12th,
1795.
PITT. RUSSIA. AUSTRIA. JOHN BULL.
HOLLAND AND FRANCE.On the
subsidies and aids granted so lavishly by the English Government to
the Continental Powers in arms against France. Prussia and Austria
are picking John's pockets, while France and Holland are treating
him with derision. Poor John, blindfold in the midst of his
enemies, knows not whither to turn to avoid them, while his ruler
betrays him into their hands. The loan granted by the British
Government to the Emperor of Austria had excited very animated
discussions in the House of Commons t the end of May and beginning
of June of this year. In 1795 the British Government loaned money
to Austria to help pay for the French Revolutionary War. Here John
Bull is shown being abused by both friend and foe. The Austrian
emperor picks his pocket; a Prussian Death's Head Hussar waves
another bag of cash; a Dutchman blows pipe-smoke in Bull's face
while a sans-coulotte kicks his backside. The final indignity is
the British Prime Minister, Pitt the Younger, shouting
encouragement to the tormentors while rifling the pockets of Bull's
jacket. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **
£65 post inclusive
|
ENTER COWSLIP, WITH A BOWL OF CREAM. June
13th, 1795.
COUNTESS Of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Lady
Buckinghamshire in the
character of Cowslip, which she performed in the private
theatricals at Brandenburgh House ** *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £65 post inclusive
|
253. THE NEW SPEAKER (i. e. The Law Chick),BETWEEN THE HAWKS AND
BUZZARDS.Feb. lbth, 1800.
M. A. TAYLOR. Michael Angelo Taylor was the son of Sir Robert Taylor,
Knight, a celebrated architect, who built the Bank. He bestowed a
liberal education on his son Michael Angelo, and sent him to Corpus
Christi College, Oxford. Michael Angelo Taylor studied the law, and was
admitted abarrister. He seems at first to have entertained some
ambitious views of advancement in his profession. He married the sister
of Sir Harry Vane Tempest, Bart. At the general election in 1784, he
obtained a seat in the House of Commons. He took an early opportunity
of declaring his determination to support the Minister, but not
indiscriminately. A.n early opportunity occurred of evincing his
sincerity, by giving an independent vote on the unpopular Westminster
Scrutiny. On the 9th of February, 1785, Mr. Taylor said : " That as he
should that night give a vote against those with whom he had agreed in
general, and against whom he, perhaps, might never give another, he
thought it right to give his reasons for so doing." He then assigned
his reasons for considering the High Bailiff's Court an illegal
judicature, not competent to try the validity of the Westminster
Election. He did not pretend to contend with the learned gentleman who
preceded him (the Master of the Bolls, Sir Lloyd Kenyon). He was
y0ung—he was, but what he might call himself, A Chicken in the
profession; but he could not reconcile to his ideas of law the
Westminster Scrutiny. It had been called a Court ; it was ridiculous,
in his mind, to call it so—it was but a mockery and a jest."Mr.
Sheridan observed, that they had that day been honoured with the
councils of a complete gradation of lawyers;—they had received
the opinion of a Judge, of an Attorney-General in Petto (Michael Angelo
Taylor); of an ex-Attorney-General, and of a Practising Barrister. With
regard to the acquisition of a Learned Gentleman, who had declared he
meant to vote with them on that day, he was sorry to acknowledge, that
from the declaration the Learned Gentleman had made in the beginning of
his speech, he saw no great reason to boast of their auxiliary. The
Learned Gentleman, who had with peculiar modesty called himself a
Chicken of a Lawyer, had declared that, thinking them in the right with
respect to the discussion** *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £85 post inclusive
|
105. THE HEROIC CHARLOTTE LA CORDE UPON HER TRIAL. July 29th, 1793.
On the death of the French democrat, Marat, by the hand of Charlotte
Corday, on the 13th July, 1793. She was immediately brought to trial by
the Revolutionary Tribune, condemned, aDd executed. An interesting
account of her will be found in Lamartine's " History of the
Girondists." (Bohn's Library, vol. 3, p. 53.).. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 ** £65 post inclusive x 3
|
JOHN BULL BAITED BY THE DOGS OF EXCISE April
9th, 1790.
featuring ORENVILLK. DUNDAS.
RICHMOND. THURLOW. JENKIN80N (
afterwards LORD LIVERPOOL) . PEPPER ARDEN. LORD SYDNEY. DUKE OP
ORAFTON. CAMDEN. PITT. GEORGE ROSE. Referring to the remarks made
by Sheridan on Pitt's Excise Laws in the beginning of April, 1790,
arising out of a petition for a repeal of the excise on tobacco,
which had been taken up as the occasion for an attack on Government
by the Opposition. The dogs with which John Bull is baited are
known by their collars ; Pitt is setting them on, while George Rose
is busy new painting the inscription over the back-door of the
Treasury. *Originally
published by
Hannah Humphrey in
1798 by James Gillray ** Hand Coloured. Trimmed from a
larger
sheet,.***All shown with the margin against a darker
carpet to show borders if close cut ***This is from the later Bohn
Edition of
1849 to 1851 **
£65 post inclusive x 3
|
FRENCH HABITS, No. 2.&; LES
MEMBERS DU CONSEIL DES ANCIENS.
April 18th, 1798.
DUKE OP NORFOLK. THE
MARQUIS OP LANSDOWNE. GRAFTOX. Two
Dukes (Norfolk and Grafton), and a Marquis ( Lansdowne), were to
form at least part of the Council of Ancients, that important
branch of the French Republican Legislature, and of the future
Republican Legislature of England.** Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, .***All shown with the margin
against a darker carpet to
show borders***This is from the later Bohn Edition of 1849 to 1851 **
£40 post inclusive
|
A FRENCH HAILSTORM; OR, NEPTUNE LOSING
SIGHT OF THE BREST FLEET.
Dec. 10, 1793.
LORD HOWE.
On Lord Howe's inactivity,
who was accused of remaining
idle in Torbay, while he ought to have been looking into Brest
harbour, to watch the movements of the French fleet collected
there. The popular cry represented the English Admiral as being
bribed by French gold to remain inactive ; and among the common
toasts at political dinners was, "Lord Howe &emdash; let him be
toasted in Port !" Gillray has here represented him as driven into
the port of Torbay by a hailstorm of money. A few months after, the
great naval victory of the 1st of June, 1794, restored Lord Howe to
universal popularity. At this time the disasters experienced by the
Allies on the continent in every quarter had very much damped the
warlike ardour of the people of England, and this altered feeling
will be seen in several of the caricatures which follow.** Hand
Coloured. Trimmed from a larger sheet, narrow top
margin..***All shown with the margin against a darker carpet to
show borders***This is from the later Bohn Edition of 1849 to 1851 **
£105 post inclusive
|
|
