print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.5058
- Title
- Object: Carlo Khan's triumphal entry into Leadenhall Street.
- Description
-
Fox seated astride an elephant which is being led through Leadenhall Street towards the India Office, one door of which appears on the left. He is dressed as an oriental prince, wearing a jewelled turban; ms elbows are akimbo and he looks down with a triumphant smile. At his side is a flag on which "The Man of the People" has been erased and "BAΣIVEVS BAΣIΛEΩN" (king of kings) substituted. The elephant has the face of North, with an expression of pained anxiety, from his mouth protrudes a small snake-like trunk. Burke (right), dressed as an oriental, leads the elephant by a rope; his head is turned in profile to the right and he is blowing a trump to which is attached a fringed banner on which is a map of India inscribed "C F" [Charles Fox]; it shows "Bengal", the "Bay of Bengal", the "Ganges"; extreme north "Delhi" and in the extreme south "Tanjeour" and "F[ort] S. George."
In the background the houses of the street recede in perspective; on a chimney on a roof (left) a raven bends ominously towards Fox, beneath it is etched, "The night Crow cried foreboding luckless Time. Shakespeare." 5 December 1783
Etching
- Production date
- 1783
- Dimensions
-
Height: 305 millimetres
-
Width: 228 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 sequel to BMSat 6271, which is presumably Pl. 1st, and Sayers' most famous satire. Fox is said to have called it the most effective blow at his India Bill; its effect was multiplied by pirated copies and imitations. T. Wright, 'Caricature History of the Georges', p. 373; see also Wraxall, 'Memoirs', 1884, iii. 254. Burke leads the elephant to show that he is the draftsman of the India Bill and the reputed inspirer of Fox's Indian policy, see BMSat 6277, &c. BMSat 6285, 6286 are sequels to this print. For the India Bill see BMSat 6271, &c. At this time the Coalition, having staked their existence on the passing of the Bill, regarded themselves as firmly established. See 'Corr. of Lord Auckland', 1861, i. 63 (letter of 9 Dec).
Copy by F. W. Fairholt, T. Wright, op. et loc. cit. Reproduced, A. S. Turberville, 'Men and Manners of the Eighteenth Century', 1926, p. 464.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.5058