print; satirical print

Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience.

Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1868,0808.10384
Title: Object: Exhibition of a democratic-transparency, -with its effect upon patriotic feelings:
Description: The members of the Secret Committee of the Commons are seated round a table examining the documents relating to the United Irishmen and other revolutionary societies. A lamp on the table illuminates a large framed transparency [The transparency, a large pictorial design lit from behind, was a popular form of street illumination. On 5 Nov. 1813 (for the battle of Leipzig) Ackermann displayed on the façade of his 'Repository' Rowlandson's 'The Two Kings of terror, afterwards published as a print. Broadley, i. 338.] divided into four equal sections which hangs from the ceiling and conceals the heads of the Committee ; the four scenes depict the supposed intentions of the revolutionaries. The transparency is irradiated, throwing into deep shadow members of the Opposition in the foreground (right), who flee from the room in a body, terror-struck. The nearest (three-quarter length) are Erskine, clutching a brief-bag, Fox, M. A. Taylor, and Norfolk. Behind these are Tierney, Sheridan, and Nicholls; in the last row are Sir J. Sinclair, Burdett, Moira, Bedford. The two most prominent members, though in back view with heads obscured, suggest Pitt (left) and Dundas (right); they read papers inscribed 'Scheme to Overthrow the British Constitution, & to seize on all public Property and Invitation to the French Republic'. Over the edge of the table hang the bulky 'Reports of the Secret Committee of the House of Commons.' On the floor are four papers: 'Names of Traitors now sufferd to remain at large'; 'Oath of the Members of the Society of the United Irishmen in London'; 'Account of ye Lodge of United Englishmen, & of the Monks of St Ann's Shrine' [see BMSat 9217]; 'Proceedings of the London Corresponding Society with a list of all the Members.' [See BMSat 9189, &c] The transparency is suspended on tricolour ribbons. Titles are engraved on the frame: [1] 'Plundering the Bank'. A scene in the Rotunda; tiny figures hasten off with sacks of gold, the most prominent being Tierney with '£10000'. Sir William Pulteney (identified from his resemblance to BMSat 9212) staggers off to the left with two sacks; the poker-like Moira has a sack on his head; two men dispute over a sack, one being Walpole with his huge cocked hat, the other resembling Jekyll; Sheridan (right) slouches off with two sacks. Proletarians exult over small money-bags. [2] 'Assassinating the Parliament'. The interior of the House of Commons is realistically depicted; the Opposition violently attack the occupants of the Government benches, daggers being the chief weapon. Erskine (left) is about to murder Dundas; Fox strikes at Pitt, holding him by the throat, while Sheridan is about to stab Pitt in the back. The puny Walpole tries to drag the Speaker from his chair, while Burdett raises the mace to smite him. Sir John Sinclair raises a broadsword to smite a man held down by little M. A. Taylor. Volumes of 'Acts and Statutes' fall to the floor. [3] 'Seizing the Crown. \ Scene the Tower'. Exulting plunderers emerge from the gate of the Tower on to the drawbridge. Bedford, dressed as a jockey (cf. BMSat 9380), walks ahead with two sacks: 'New Coinage' and 'New Guineas'; Fox, [Identified by Grego as Lansdowne.] smiling, holds the crown; Lauderdale, wearing a kilt, carries the sceptre. Just behind is Sir George Shuckburgh. Stanhope (or Grattan) carries a sack, 'Regalia of E[ngland]'. On the right a chimney-sweep and others dance round a bonfire in which 'Records' are burning. Cf. BMSat 7354, where Fox carries off the crown from the Tower. [4] 'Establishing the French Government. \ St James s Palace'. French troops march with arrogant goose-step and fixed bayonets into the gateway of the palace; their large tricolour flag is inscribed 'Vive la Republique Français'. In the foreground is planted a tall spear surmounted by a bonnet-rouge (a tree of Liberty, cf. BMSat 9214, &c.); at its base are decollated heads wearing coronets and a mitre. They are cheered by spectators (right): Grattan holding 'Grattans Address', Norfolk holding his staff, Lord Derby in hunting-dress standing on an overturned sentry-box, Moira standing like a ramrod. Below the title: 'Representing, the Secret-Committee throwing a Light upon the Dark Sketches of a Revolution found among the Papers of the Jacobin-Societies lately apprehended. NB. The Truth of the Picture is reffered to the Consciences of the Swearers to the Innocence of O'Connor: And is Dedicated to the bosom-Friends of Fitzgerald; Quigley, Shears, Tone, Holt, and all other well wishers to their Country -' 15 April 1799 Hand-coloured etching and aquatint
Producer name: Print made by: James Gillray; Published by: Hannah Humphrey
School/style
Production date: 1799
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials
Technique: etching; aquatint; hand-coloured
Dimensions: Height: 373 millimetres; Width: 453 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942) The Report of the Secret Committee (cf. BMSats 9366, 9515) on persons and societies in England and Ireland engaged in a treasonable conspiracy was made by Dundas on 15 Mar. 1799. 'Parl. Hist.' xxxiv. 579 ff. For the Foxites and O'Connor see BMSat 9245, &c.; for Fitzgerald see BMSat 9227, &c, for Quigley, BMSat 9189. John and Henry Sheares were members of the Irish Directory: the rising fixed for 23 May 1798 was forestalled by their arrest on 10 May. They were executed for treason on 14 July 1798. Tone was taken prisoner in Sept. 1798, when the 'Hoche' surrendered to Warren off Lough Swilly, and killed himself to avoid execution. Joseph Holt was a leader in the Irish Rebellion (see BMSat 9228, &c.) who surrendered on 10 Nov. 1798 and was sentenced to transportation, see BMSat 9262. Grego, 'Gillray', p. 257 (small copy). Wright and Evans, No. 229. Reprinted, 'G.W.G.', 1830. Reproduced, Wheeler and Broadley, i. 22.
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: 1998 Apr-Aug, Belfast, Ulster Museum, 'Up in Arms' 2001 Jun-Sep, London, Tate Britain, 'Gillray and the Art of Caricature'
Subjects
Associated names: Associated with: Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth; Associated with: Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford; Associated with: Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet; Associated with: Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby; Associated with: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville; Associated with: Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine; Associated with: Lord Edward Fitzgerald; Associated with: Charles James Fox; Associated with: Henry Grattan; Associated with: Joseph Holt; Associated with: Joseph Jekyll; Associated with: Francis Rawdon Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings and 2nd Earl of Moira; Associated with: John Nicholls; Associated with: Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk; Associated with: James O'Coigley; Associated with: Arthur O'Connor; Associated with: William Pitt the Younger; Associated with: Sir William Pulteney; Associated with: John Sheares; Associated with: Henry Sheares; Associated with: Richard Brinsley Sheridan; Associated with: Sir George Augustus William Shuckburgh Evelyn, 6th Baronet; Associated with: Sir John Sinclair; Associated with: Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope; Associated with: Right Hon Michael Angelo Taylor; Associated with: George Tierney; Associated with: Theobald Wolfe Tone; Associated with: George Walpole
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.10384

Free entry

Opening hours