print; satirical print

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Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1855,0609.1970
Title: Object: The North Star
Description: Satire on the Duke of Grafton’s ministry alleging that it is still subservient to the Earl of Bute. Bute sits on clouds obscuring the rays of the sun, i.e., the King. He holds a scourge in one hand and a large purse in the other, he rests his feet on an open volume of “the Laws of England”. Behind him to the right is Chatham, who has three American Indian feathers in his wig, the crutch he holds has a beggar’s pouch attached and a coronet on top; he rests his gouty leg on a stone lettered “America”, on top of a pedestal lettered “Bank of England India House etc etc” on which stands a Scotsman playing bagpipes. Behind Bute on the left is Lord Grafton, prime minister, in profile to left, a black cravat round his neck, looking at a ragged one-legged, one-eyed sailor playing a fiddle while standing on a collapsing pile of stone blocks lettered ”English Constitution” . Members of the ministry kneel at Bute’s feet, one making obeisance. They include Bishop Warburton and, according to Stephens, others who may be intended to represent Lordsf Hertford, Weymouth or Winchilsea (although the latter was no longer a member of the government). Lord Mansfield, in his robes as Lord Chief Justice, feeds a fire on “The Altar of Baal” (i.e., Bute) with “Habeus Corpus “and “Rights of the Subject”; he stands on a paper lettered “Liberty of the Press”. Beside him is another lawyer, possibly Lord Northington, and Sir Fletcher Norton on his knees; a broom-head appears between him and the next minister who is possibly Lord Rochford; other ministers kneel behind him. In the distance on the left a Scotsman raises his sword to threaten a pleading Britannia. In front on the right John Wilkes stands his hands raised. Etching and engraving
Producer name: Print made by: Anonymous
School/style: British
Production date: 1768 (circa)
Materials: paper
Technique: etching; engraving
Dimensions: Height: 177 millimetres; Width: 206 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Edward Hawkins annotated another impression of this print (1868,0808.9783), "Pol[itical] Reg[ister], Aug.1768". Stephens notes that Edward Hawkins recorded an impression in the Political Register, August 1768; it does not appear in the BL copy of the Register (P.P.3557), but Rosemary Baker confirms that it is in a copy in the Library of Congress. Anthony Heath has noted an impression in the "Gentleman's and London Magazine", published by John Exshaw in Dublin (personal communication, March 2012)
Bibliographic references: BM Satires / Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum (4229)
Location: Not on display
Subjects: satire; scottish; musician; disabled; sailor
Associated names: Representation of: Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton; Representation of: John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute; Representation of: William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham; Representation of: William Warburton, Bishop of Gloucester; Representation of: Francis Seymour Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford (?); Representation of: Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath (?); Representation of: Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea, 3rd Earl of Nottingham (?); Representation of: William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield; Representation of: Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington (?); Representation of: Fletcher Norton, Baron Grantley; Representation of: William Henry van Nassau van Zulenstein, 4th Earl of Rochford (?); Representation of: Britannia; Representation of: John Wilkes
Acquisition name: Donated by: John Fillinham
Acquisition date: 1855
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1855,0609.1970

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