print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.4846
- Title
- Object: The Ville de Paris, sailing for Jamaica, or Rodney triumphant
- Description
-
Rodney standing on the back of de Grasse, who is crawling on his hands and knees on the water, symbolizing his own flag-ship the 'Ville de Paris', and drawing after him at the end of a rope a small open boat. Rodney, in profile to the right, holds in his left hand the end of the French admiral's long pigtail queue, in his right hand is a drawn cutlass. Along the admiral's body is engraved "Count de Grasse". A cross suspended from his neck touches the water. From his head projects a torn French flag, on which is engraved "Discolour'd", it hangs from a broken staff. Behind, flies erect, a British flag, inscribed "Displayed". In front of de Grasse's grotesquely large nose is inscribed "o Bourbon". In the distance (right) is a castle on a promontory, flying the British flag and inscribed "Jamaica". In the bows of the open boat which is being towed by de Grasse a sailor stands, shouting "Down with the French"; Georgey; he waves his hat, while in his right hand he holds a club. Three French sailors in the boat kneel to him in supplication, saying "o Begar". 1 June 1782
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1782
- Dimensions
-
Height: 126 millimetres
-
Width: 174 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
A crude rendering of Rodney's victory on 12 Apr. in the battle of the Saints, when the French admiral surrendered, see BMSat 5991, &c, as a result of which the threat to the W. India islands (Antigua, Barbados, and Jamaica) was removed. De Grasse was taken to Jamaica and afterwards brought to England, see BMSat 5997.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.4846
