print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1861,1012.93
- Title
- Object: Mal lui veut mal lui tourne dit le bon homme Richard
- Description
-
Satire on the defensive alliance against Britain; a cow representing the commerce of Great Britain has its horns cut off by an American.
A copy of BMSat 5472 or BMSat 5726, or BMSat 5726 A, B, or C. It differs from all in having no name on the ship's stern, the town is "Philadelphie". Below the title is engraved "Sujet Mémorable des Révolutions de l'Univers". Numbers are engraved on the plate which refer to the engraved explanation beneath the plate, which appears to be a free translation either of the original English or the Dutch version: (1) Le Commerce de la Grande Bretagne sous la forme d'une Vache. (2) Le Congrès representés [sic] par l'Amériquain occupé a lui enlever ses armes deffensive en lui sciant les Cornes. (3) Le Hollandois d'un air content tire la Vache. (4) Un François s'avance avec politesse pour avoir du lait. (5) Un Espagnol d'un air grave se presente aussipour le même objet. (6) Un seul Vaisseaux [sic] de la formidable Flotte Anglaiseparoit seul et est embourbé pres Philadelphie. (7) Les Généraux dans l'inaction dans cette Ville. (8) Le Lion Britannique profondement endormie pendant qu'un petit dogue simbole de la vigilance lui marche sur le corps. (9) L'Anglais en deuil, consternés et abatue n'a pas la force de réveillé [sic] de Lion pour deffendre ses prerogatives." c. 1780
Etching
- Production date
- 1778-1781
- Dimensions
-
Height: 230 millimetres
-
Width: 274 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
"Le bon homme Richard" is a reference to Benjamin Franklin, then American envoy in France; it was the name given to the French ship (previously 'Due de Duras') in which Paul Jones attacked the 'Serapis', see BMSat 5559-64. For the immense vogue in France of Franklin's 'Poor Richard's Almanack' see B. Fay, 'The Revolutionary Spirit in France and America', 1928, p. 154 f.
Collection de Vinck, BMSat 1212.
Another version is No. 1211 in the 'Collection de Vinck'. The Frenchman, carrying off his bowl of milk, is walking on a peacock. The French text is identical with that of BMSat 5726 B and C, with the addition of the words, after "le Francois . . . emporte une jatte, pleine de lait", "et marche sur le paon, Symbole de l'orgeuil [sic] Britannique qui malgré la perte de sa plus belle plume fait encore entendre l'aigre son de sa Voix". It is without numbers on the plate.
(Supplementary information)
A French copy of an English satire (BMSat 5472) of 1778, which was itself copied by the Americans and Dutch. The later dating of this copy is suggested by George. For other French copies see 1868,0808.4564 and BMSat 4565.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1861
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1861,1012.93