print; satirical print

Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience.

Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1868,0808.6441
Title: Object: Blindmans-buff -or- too many for John Bull
Description: John Bull, blindfolded, is being robbed and bullied by the powers of Europe who are urged on by Pitt. He stands in back view, without his coat, leaning forward with outstretched arms, wearing the wrinkled gaiters by which Gillray denotes the countryman (cf. BMSat 8141, &c). The Emperor (left), wearing a crown and a long ermine-lined robe decorated with a Habsburg eagle, leans forward from the left, and furtively picks his pocket. He holds a document inscribed 'Imperial Loan'. Prussia, as a Death's Head hussar, stands full-face near the Emperor and snaps his fingers at John Bull, holding out in triumph a money-bag inscribed '£2000000'. On the right John is assailed by France and Holland: a lean and ragged sansculotte with clenched fists kicks him behind; a fat Dutchman, holding a tobacco-pipe, puffs a blast of smoke in his face. On the extreme left Pitt stands in profile to the right, holding John Bull's coat and putting his hand into its pocket, he says: "Go it, my Honies, go it! Supple him a little! Supple him!" 12 June 1795 Hand-coloured etching
Producer name: Print made by: James Gillray; Published by: Hannah Humphrey
School/style: British
Production date: 1795
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials: paper
Technique: etching; hand-coloured
Dimensions: Height: 250 millimetres; Width: 349 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942) The print reflects the attacks on the loan to the Emperor, 28 May, 3 June, 10 June, when the folly of the subsidy to Prussia in 1794 (used for the Partition of Poland, cf. BMSat 8477) was adduced. 'Parl. Hist.' xxxii. 37-45; see also xxxi. 1294, 1344, 1558 ff. For the burden of subsidies cf. BMSat 8821, &c. For the conquest of Holland and the fraternization of the Dutch with the French, see BMSat 8608, &c. One of many satires on the burdens of the war, cf. BMSat 8646. Grego, 'Gillray', p. 189. Wright and Evans, No. 126. Van Stolk, No. 5316. Reprinted, 'G.W.G.', 1830.
Bibliographic references: BM Satires / Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum (8658)
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: 1993 May-Jun, Southampton City AG, Europeans in Caricature 1993 Jul-Sep, Bolton Museum & AG, Europeans in Caricature 1993 Oct-Nov, Newton Powys, Oriel 31, Europeans in Caricature 1994 Feb-Mar, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Europeans in Caricature 1994 May-Jul, Eastbourne, Towner AG, Europeans in Caricature
Subjects: satire
Associated names: Associated with: Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Francis I, Emperor of Austria; Associated with: Frederick William II, King of Prussia; Associated with: William Pitt the Younger
Acquisition name: Purchased from: Edward Hawkins (estate of)
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.6441
Conservation: Treatment: 20 May 1992

Free entry

Opening hours