print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.7079
- Title
- Object: Leap frog
- Description
-
The small, nimble Napoleon plays leap-frog with the larger and more solid personifications of Holland, Spain, and Hanover, who stand with bent backs and hands on knees. Having leapt over the bent backs of a fat Dutchman (left) and then a Spanish don in feathered hat, ruff, and cloak, he bestrides the shoulders of Hanover, a German soldier wearing a cocked hat and jack-boots. The Dutchman, his hat and broken pipe on the ground, says with a scowl: "He has left the Swiss and Italian a Mile behind - and as for me he ha s Knock'd my hat off and broken my pipe - pretty encouragement this to play at Leap Frog". The Spaniard: "By St Iago - my back is almost broken." The Hanoverian: "Why did I submit to this." Napoleon, wearing his enorrnous cocked hat with tricolour plume, says: "Keep down your head Master Hanoverian my next leap shall be over John Bull." John (right), a fat citizen wearing a cocked hat, faces him with a clenched fist, saying, "I'll be d-----d if you do Master Corsican". c.June 1803
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1803-1807
- Dimensions
-
Height: 254 millimetres
-
Width: 350 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
Napoleon's first military action after the declaration of war was to launch an army assembled in Holland against Hanover. The Civil and Military Deputies of Hanover capitulated at Suhlingen to General Mortier on 3 June 1803. This George III refused to ratify, and the Electorate was treated as a conquered country. 'Lond. Chron.', 16 June 1803 (text of capitulation and Mortier's dispatch); 'Camb. Hist. of British Foreign Policy', i. 328 f. For Hanover see BMSats 10025, 10026, 10027, 10030, 10040, 10058, 10087, 10099, 10100, 10119, 10149, 11465. Cf. BMSat 10044.
Broadley, i. 159. Van Stolk, No. 5982 a (vii. 355 f.). Reproduced, Bainville, 'Napoléon', trans., 1932, p. 154.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.7079
