print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.12801
- Title
- Object: Johanna Southcott the prophetess excommunicating the bishops
- Description
-
Joanna Southcott and Tozer drive before them a crowd of fat bishops, who flee to the right in wild confusion. She uses a birch-rod, he wields a flail, inscribed 'Revd Roger Towser's Flail'. Joanna holds by the toe the hindmost bishop, who wears a papal tiara. One has fallen to the ground, losing wig and crosier, another escapes over the former's body; two wear mitres. Several turn round to shriek defiance; one kicks out at Tozer, and uses his crosier as a weapon, another brandishes his wig. Joanna is plainly dressed, and wears a cap and spectacles; from her neck hangs a medallion inscribed 'I C' between two stars, with the words 'A Fac Simili of Joannas Seal'. Drapery streams behind her inscribed 'Elijah's Mantle' and 'Mohair'. Demons and serpents fly round the angry pair. She screams: "Lay it on hip and thigh Brave Towzer Smite the unbelievers—I put no more trust in Bishops as men, than I do in their Chariots and Horses, but my trust is in the Lord of Hosts." He shouts: "I'll well Dust their Woolsacks and make them drunk in my fury, I will bring down their strength to the earth." Behind them (left) is a chest (as in No. 12333) inscribed 'Contents of the Sealing. The Sealed of the Lord—The Elect—To inherit the Tree of Life. To be made Heirs of God and Joint Heirs of [sic] with Jesus Christ—Joanna Southcott.' Beside it lie a goblet and 'Salver'. At her feet is an open book: 'Third Book of Wonders'. A serpent darts from left to right over the bishops. Below the title: 'Know I told thee I should begin at the Sanctuary I will cutt them all off, having already cutt off Four Bishops for refusing to hear her Visitation.'
Plate numbered 341.
20 September 1814
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1814
- Dimensions
-
Height: 247 millimetres
-
Width: 349 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', IX, 1949)
See No. 12329, &c. One of the many presents to Joanna Southcott during her supposed pregnancy was a mohair mantle (apparently for Shiloh) which cost £150. 'Impartial Account . . .', Leeds, 1814, p. 58.
Grego, 'Rowlandson', ii. 287.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1999/2000 Dec-Apr, London, BM, 'The Apocalypse', no.21
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.12801
