print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.8232
- Title
- Object: A lecture on heads as delivered by Marshalls Wellington & Blucher
- Description
-
Wellington and Blücher pursue a fleeing French army, grotesquely depicted. Wellington runs a French soldier through the body with his sword, holding up the eagle he has taken from his victim. Another British officer close behind him runs with uplifted sword. They are followed by Blücher (left) who runs forward with a clenched fist, holding up a decollated head on the point of his sabre. Behind, and on the extreme left, is the Tsar, running forward; he cries: 'Stop I am comeing." From Wellington float the words: "bold as Hector or Mackbeth Ri tol tol Lol la / wheres the Fun Like meeting Death / Tol der ridy Tol de oi.' Blücher says: "Blister 'em Fire 'em shoot em / kick em Lick 'em bump em / Lump em Thump em wack em smack em." To the ground in front of Wellington falls a decapitated French soldier, putting his hand on his severed head. Another decapitated body lies near. On the right the fugitives are in wild confusion, above them in the air are severed heads, two legs, and an arm. Two of the former say: "oh Dieblue I Lost me Body" and "Stop my Leg." In front of these, running up-hill and towards a burning town on the extreme right, is Napoleon, exclaiming, "oh Dear what will become of me." Above his head flies an oddly drawn Devil. Clouds of smoke form a background to Wellington and the other central figures. Behind (left) cannon are firing.
21 June
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1815
- Dimensions
-
Height: 220 millimetres
-
Width: 333 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', IX, 1949)
News of Waterloo (18 June) reached London through an agent of Rothschild early on 20 June. It was confirmed by Wellington's dispatch received on 21 June, and made public on 22 June when the guns were fired. This print is probably ante-dated. The title is from G. A. Stevens's 'Lecture upon Heads', see No. 11155. For Waterloo ('Mont St.-Jean') see also Nos. 12555, 12559, 12560, 12561, 12562, 12563, 12564, 12565, 12566, 12579, 12598, 12602, 12605, 12608, 12618, 12620, 12627, 12902 [19], 12988.
Broadley, i. 387.
(Supplementary information)
Dated by M. D. George, 21 June 1815.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.8232
