print; satirical print; book-illustration | British Museum

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

print; satirical print; book-illustration

Object Type: print; satirical print; book-illustration
Museum number: 1868,0808.9767
Title: Object: The Wire Master, and his Puppets
Description: Satire on the Duke of Grafton’s ministry alleging that it is secretly manipulated by the Earl of Bute. A curtain is raised on a stage showing the gateway St James’s Palace; Lord Bute pulls strings through a window attached to members of the ministry, among whom are Lord Chatham on crutches, Bishop Warburton on his knees, Lord Camden in Lord Chancellor’s robes, Viscount Barrington holding a letter, Sir Fletcher Norton and Lord Sandwich (?) holding a palm branch. To the right of the stage Lord Holland says “a little more to the left, my Lord”, implying he is assisting Bute. In the background on the left of the stage Britannia weeps saying “It is sport to you, but Death to me”. Beneath the stage former ministers watch the scene; they include the Duke of Newcastle and Lord Chesterfield, Lord Winchilsea seen from behind, Lord Temple to the right and Lord Lyttleton beside him. The devil pulls away a prop that supports the stage. Etching and engraving
Producer name
School/style
Production date: 1767
Materials
Technique: etching; engraving
Dimensions: Height: 149 millimetres (image); Height: 190 millimetres (trimmed?); Width: 97 millimetres (image); Width: 123 millimetres (trimmed?)
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Hawkins annotated the print, "Pol. Reg. Oct. 1767" but Stephens notes that the letter in the hand of Lord Barrington refers to an incident which happended after that date, i.e. on 10 May 1768 (see BM Satires 4232), and assumes that the print was misplaced in the BL copy of the Political Register (P.P.3557.t.a)
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Subjects: satire; puppetry
Associated names: Associated with: Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton; Representation of: John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute; Representation of: William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham; Representation of: William Warburton, Bishop of Gloucester; Representation of: Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden; Representation of: William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington; Representation of: Fletcher Norton, Baron Grantley; Representation of: John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich; Representation of: Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland; Representation of: Britannia; Representation of: Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle; Representation of: Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield; Representation of: Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea, 3rd Earl of Nottingham; Representation of: Richard Grenville Temple, 2nd Earl Temple; Representation of: Devil; Representation of: George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton of Frankley
Associated places: Topographic representation of: London (St James's Palace)
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.9767