- Museum number
- 1868,0808.8083
- Title
- Object: Caterers- Boney dish'd- a bonne bouche for Europe.
- Description
-
The Powers of Europe surround a circular table, almost covered by a large dish in which a little Napoleon, with his marshals and generals (as 'garnish'), gesticulates, kneeling on one knee. The officers sit on the rim of the dish, facing Napoleon, their hands tied behind them; those on the near side are identified (left to right): 'Souham', 'Regnier', 'Marmont', 'Macdonald', 'Lauri[ston]', all of whom had commands at Leipzig. The 'caterers', who are discussing the fate of Europe, are with two exceptions, grouped on the farther side of the table. The two foreground figures (three-quarter length) are the Tsar (left) and (right) Sir Charles Stewart [called the Prince Regent by Broadley] who is in back view, talking intently to Bernadotte. The Tsar, who presides, rests his right hand on the hilt of his sword, and points to the dish; he looks at Francis I, who is seated on his left, and says: "I think Brother of Austria, this dish will be relished by all Europe." Francis answers: "And I think Brother of Russia they will admire the Garnish!" Frederick William III wears hussar uniform with a skull and cross-bones on his high cap; he says: "It is rather too highly season'd for any taste, but French." Bernadotte, Crown Prince of Sweden, holds his sword in his left hand; he says to Stewart: "We must reduce the quantity of irritating articles, before we can produce it as a finish'd dish, what say you Steward[stroked]t of the feast??" Stewart holds a money-bag labelled 'Subsidy'; he answers: "I agree with your Highness! John Bull prefers moderation." On the back of his chair are the Royal Arms. These five are the principals, all with seats at the table, and all wearing uniform. There are six onlookers, standing just behind them. Behind Francis I stands the ultra-fat King of Würtemberg; he says: "Pray let Wurtemburg join in that Dish." Behind him, and with his hand on the king's shoulder, is the King of Bavaria, saying, "And Bavaria, if you please!" Between Austria and Prussia, and in the centre of the design, stands a stout Dutchman, wearing a round hat and holding a pipe; he says: "Bonder and Blikens, dat dish will please mine Vrow!" Between Prussia and Bernadotte stands a plainly-dressed Swiss, with lank hair, holding a cudgel; he says: "William Tell never invented a better dish, I hope we shall have a taste of it!" An Italian, resembling a peasant, stands behind the Swiss, saying, "By the god of Love! that is better dish den Maccaroni." On the extreme right is a weeping old man, with his hands held as if in prayer; he says: "oh dear! dear! I hope they won't Dish the poor old King of Saxony!!"
10 November 1813
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1813
- Dimensions
-
Height: 232 millimetres
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Width: 328 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', IX, 1949)
A satire on the military and diplomatic consequences of Leipzig, see No. 12093, &c. Of the five French officers particularized Lauriston and Reynier were the most important of the thirty captured generals; Souham and Marmont were wounded, Macdonald lost his artillery and escaped by swimming his horse across the Elster. Major-General Sir Charles Stewart, half-brother of Castlereagh, was the British Minister Plenipotentiary and Ambassador Extraordinary to Prussia and British Commissioner to the Allied Armies; he fought at Leipzig, but his great service to the Allies was his successful pressure on Bernadotte, who was disposed to use his subsidy for the capture of Norway instead of the defeat of France, and after Leipzig was opposed to the invasion of France. Stewart was in the public eye as the writer of the accounts of Leipzig published in the 'Gazette'. The British policy was to complete the victory, and to avoid humiliating France: the Regent's speech on the opening of Parliament (4 Nov.), after exhortations to persevere in the defeat of French views of domination, declared that 'no disposition to require from France sacrifices of any description inconsistent with her honour, or just pretensions as a nation, will ever be on his part, or on that of his majesty's allies, an obstacle to peace'. 'Ann. Reg.', 1813, p. 200. The kings of Bavaria and Würtemburg were associated as members of the Confederation of the Rhine, but their relations had not the amity suggested in the print (see No. 12101). Bavaria made a treaty with Austria on 8 Oct. (at Ried); Würtemberg followed on 2 Nov. with the Treaty of Fulda (see No. 12101), after the Würtembergers had deserted to the Allies at Leipzig. Frederick Augustus of Saxony was with Napoleon at Leipsig, and was taken prisoner; despite his offer to make common cause with the Allies and the desertion of Saxon troops during the battle, he faced the prospect of the absorption of Saxony in Prussia. The defeat of Napoleon foreshadowed the disappearance of his power in Holland, Switzerland, and Italy; at this date the Powers had just made the 'Frankfort proposals' (9 Nov.) for negotiations with France on the basis of her 'natural limits'.
Broadley, i. 340. Van Stolk, No. 6180.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated names
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Associated with: Alexander I, Tsar of Russia
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Associated with: Karl XIV Johan, King of Sweden and Norway (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte)
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Associated with: Frederick I, King of Württemberg
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Associated with: Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Francis I, Emperor of Austria
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Associated with: Frederick Augustus I and III, Elector and King of Saxony and Grand Duke of Warsaw
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Associated with: Frederick William III, King of Prussia
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Associated with: Jacques Alexandre Bernard Law, marquis de Lauriston
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Associated with: Etienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre Macdonald, Duc de Tarente
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Associated with: Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont
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Associated with: Maximilian I Josef, Elector and King of Bavaria, Grand Duke of Berg
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Associated with: Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (Napoleon)
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Associated with: Jean Louis Ebénézer Reynier
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Associated with: Joseph Souham
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Associated with: Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (as Charles William Stewart)
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Associated with: William Tell
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.8083
