- Museum number
- 1868,0808.6273
- Title
- Object: A Right Honble Democrat Dissected
- Description
-
A whole length figure of Fox, bisected vertically, the organs of his body and his ribs being laid bare as if for dissection. The left half (on the right) is dressed as a Frenchman, he has no left shirt-sleeve but has ruffles attached to his wrist according to the English gibe. In his left hand is a dagger inscribed 'Penetration'. In his teeth he holds a toy windmill inscribed 'Genius', its four sails inscribed, respectively, 'For the King', 'Monarchy', 'For the People', 'Republic'. His forehead is 'Self-interest'; his right shoulder is 'Attachment', his left 'Apprehension'. On his right shirt-sleeve are dice-box and dice and the words: 'British Industry', 'Interest of Levellers', 'Jews', 'Gamesters', 'Adventurers'. His clenched right fist is inscribed 'Argument'. On his left arm are an axe and noose and the words: 'French Industry', 'Advocate for Atheists', 'Jews', 'Papists', 'Dissenters &c'. His right ribs are 'Duplicity', 'Drunkenness', 'Whoredom', 'Gambling', 'Envy', 'Inconsistency', 'Prophaness'; his left ribs: 'Enmity', 'Cruelty', 'Madness', 'Distress', 'Treachery', 'Ingratitude', 'Despair'. His organs are inscribed 'Gallic', 'Aristocratic', 'Fraternity', 'Oratorical Lungs variably verbose' [a pair of bellows], 'Common Wealth', 'Intemperance', 'Democratic', 'French Principles', 'Reservoir for Royalty'. These are flanked by 'Fat of Pidgeons' and 'Fat of Friends'.
One breeches pocket is inside out and inscribed 'Equality', the other bulges with 'Assignats'. On the English (right) leg is a knave of Clubs ('Pam') with the head of Fox (cf. BMSat 6488, &c.) and the word 'Hypocrisy'. He wears a top-boot inscribed 'Post-haste to Old Scratch', and tramples on papers inscribed: 'Religious Duties', 'Moral Duties'. On his left leg are two oval miniatures: 'Perdita' (cf. BMSat 6117, &c.) and 'Armstead' (cf. BMSat 7370, &c), and the words: 'Valor', 'Fornication', and 'Step to French Measures'. He wears a buckled shoe and tramples on papers inscribed 'Religion', 'Liberty', 'Order', 'Law', 'Property'. Across his breeches are the words 'Private Virtues'. 15 January 1793
Etching with hand-colouring
- Production date
- 1793
- Dimensions
-
Height: 350 millimetres
-
Width: 248 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
One of many prints of Fox as a Jacobin, cf. BMSat 8286. Cf. BMSat 9013, a similar dissection of Pitt.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.6273
