print; broadside; satirical print | British Museum

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print; broadside; satirical print

Object Type: print; broadside; satirical print
Museum number: 1868,0808.9658
Title: Object: De Verwarde Actionisten Torenbouw Tot Babel; Series: Het Groote Tafereel der Dwaasheid
Description: Satire on the financial crisis in 1720. In the foreground to left John Law (1) sits at a table with piles of coins, writing accounts; a man stands beside him emptying a money bag. On the right, a man (who may be intended as another representation of Law) bakes flat cakes representing stocks on a griddle and hands them out to men; as a result of eating the cakes three men squat on the ground defecating, another handing them worthless share papers with which to wipe themselves; two other men (2) lie apparently dead. On the left, behind Law is a man selling South Sea Shares from a basket (3) among the purchasers are two countrymen wearing fur caps and coats. Above this group hovers naked Fortune (4), winged and blindfold, holding money bags and a small vase; behind her a bird of prey siezes a dove. In the clouds above, Deceit (5) wearing a rich robe and holding a mask and two hearts, sits between three fools (6), one dressed as a monk holding a bauble, another ringing a bell, and on the left, an armed woman representing Courage (7) and Wisdom (8), holding a mirror, who draws aside the skirts of Deceit to reveal her scaly tail and clawed feet. In the sky to right, Idle Hope (9) holding an anchor extends her hand to a naked winged boy who blows bubbles. At left, a man (10) throws himself from an upstairs window. In the background, centre beneath Deceit, a man (11) crowns the figure of the Netherlands (12) with a fool's cap. Spectators turn away and walk towards the tower of Babel in the distance. Engraved title, text within image, and Dutch verses in four columns below. 1720 Etching
School/style
Production date: 1720
Materials
Technique: etching; engraving
Dimensions: Height: 348 millimetres; Width: 488 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: One of a collection of prints bound together in two volumes c.1721 known as 'Het Groote Tafereel der Dwaasheid'; for more information, see 1868,0808.9602.
Bibliographic references: Muller 1863-1882 / De Nederlandsche Geschiedenis in Platen. Beredeneerde Beschrijving van Nederlandsche Historieplaten (3568); BM Satires / Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum (1672)
Location: Not on display
Subjects: satire; commerce/finance; allegory/personification; suicide; bodily function
Associated names
Associated places: Associated with: Netherlands
Associated events: Associated Event: Financial Bubble 1720
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.9658