- Museum number
- 1857,1222.96
- Title
-
Object: Extraordinary meeting of the leaders of the opposition,
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Series: Political Sketches
- Description
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No. 375. A group of animals with men's faces, holding a meeting; in foreground to left, a horse (Lord Palmerston); behind, under the horse's neck, two dogs (Thomas Slingsby Duncombe and Thomas Wakley), in front, a sheep (Lord Melbourne) and a wolf (Daniel O'Connell); behind, probably a dog (Lord Spencer); behind him, a goose (Joseph Hume), opposite to a fox (Lord Brougham); behind them, an unidentifiable animal (Lord Durham); to far right in background, a buck (Sir Bulwer) and a donkey (Lord Morpeth), and in centre background, a mouse (Lord Russell), seated on a rock next to a black cat (Lord Glenelg). 3 March 1835
Lithograph
- Production date
- 1835
- Dimensions
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Height: 270 millimetres
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Width: 372 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Identifications are taken from the "Illustrative Key ..." of 1841, but 'A Key to the Political Sketches of H.B. Nos. 301-400' (undated) gives alternative identifactions: Lord Spencer as the mouse, and Lord John Russell as the cat.
Text from 'An Illustrative Key to the Political Sketches of H.B.', London 1841:
Previously to the opening of the session of Parliament, after the appointment of Sir Robert Peel to the Premiership, the members of the opposition held several meetings to arrange their plan of proceeding. The present sketch exhibits one of these meetings. It resembles a fancy-dress ball, every one appearing in character; except that the characters are not chosen by the individuals, but are assigned to them at the pleasure of the artist. On the left-hand, Lord Palmerston appears as an old roadster; Lord Melbourne, just below, as a bleating lamb, whether on account of his name, or because of his simplicity in coming within reach of the fangs of Mr. O'Connell, may be doubted. Mr. O'Connell is in the character of a wolf, and Lord Spencer in that of a fat wether. Mr. Hume appears as a goose, Lord Brougham as a fox, Sir E. L. Bulwer as a buck, and Lord Morpeth as a donkey, with a hat facetiously cocked upon one of his long ears. Between the fox and the goose is an animal with the face of the late Lord Durham, but what description of animal it is, is difficult to discern. Above his head sits Lord Glenelg, in the likeness of a cat, and close to his side a mouse, with the features of Lord John Russell. Let us not omit, however, to notice the "twa dogs" who appear on the left, under the arch of the horse's neck; and who as representatives of "High Life" and "Low Life," might easily be recognized, without the inscription of FINSBURY on the collar of the latter. The "High Life" dog, or "Corinthian Tom," is Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, Esq., and his companion Thomas Wakley, Esq.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1857
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1857,1222.96
