print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.3786
- Title
- Object: The Evacuation, or, the Sh[i]tten Condition of the King of Pru[ssi]a
- Description
-
Satire on Prussian setbacks in the War of Austrian Succession at a point when Maria Theresa and her allies had made gains in the winter of 1744/45. In the centre, Frederick II sits on an open stool, his breeches around his knees, evacuating Louis d'Or as he vomits Bohemia, Silesia, Glalz (?) and Friesland. The queen offers him a bottle of Hungary water, saying "Fye Man don't Faint/smell smell smell" while at the same time thrusting towards his thigh a damaged sword lettered, "Hack'd like a Hand saw Ecce signum"; a curved scimitar hangs from her waist. A man wearing a coat decorated with the Imperial eagle and fleurs-de-lis bends down to put coins in his purse saying, "Tis Sh[i]tten Stuff". The king cries "Ha! there he is again" as Prince Charles of Lorraine, a sword in his hand, opens a door on the left saying, "run away not stay for me". In the background on the right, a Hungarian soldier brandishes his sword saying "I'll make you disgorge too" as he threatens a Spaniard and a Frenchman; the first cries, "Ah! Santo Iago he'll Beat us" to which the other replies, "With ye help of ye English Ships". Eight lines of engraved verse beneath. 1745
Etching and engraving
- Production date
- 1745
- Dimensions
-
Height: 171 millimetres (image)
-
Height: 195 millimetres (trimmed?)
-
Width: 310 millimetres (image)
-
Width: 321 millimetres (trimmed?)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The figure of Frederick II is based on the Rake in in Plate 7 of Hogarth's Rake's Progress. The three figures in the background to left are taken from BM Satires 2515.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Associated Event: War of Austrian Succession 1740-1748
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.3786
