print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.5040
- Title
- Object: The bum-bardment of Gibraltar, or f-t-g against thunder
- Description
-
From Gibralter (left), represented by a stone fort built on a rock, five cannon fire balls at four figures (right) crouching on hands and knees, who are ejecting blasts at the fort from their bare posteriors. These four figures are in a row and are dressed in the manner of French and Spanish officers in English caricature. The front figure, a Frenchman, is "C. Artois", or the Comte d'Artois, the third is "D. Crillon", or Due de Crillon, the second and fourth are Spaniards. They are on the sea-shore. At sea (right) are two of the "gun-boats" of the allied fleet, with furled sails. Beneath the design is engraved:
"'Gainst Elliot the French, & the Spaniards, Combin'd
Are Throwing their Stink Pots you see from behind
That the Garrison's Safe you must own is no Wonder
For all that they do is but F--t--g at Thunder." c. Oct. 1782
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1782
- Dimensions
-
Height: 173 millimetres
-
Width: 249 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935) . The Bourbon royal princes and the Stadtholder of the United Provinces were present at the bombardment of Gibraltar, since its fall was confidently expected. See BMSat 6034, 6035, &c.
(Supplementary information)
A Holland re-issue of William Humphrey plate. As pointed out in an email from David Alexander (17/02/09) the publication line '50 Oxford St' demonstrates that the print canno be dated before May 1787, which seems to be the date when Holland began to issue prints from this address rather than 66 Drury Lane.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.5040
