print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1917,1208.4107
- Title
-
Object: The weather cock of St Stephen's.
-
Series: Outlines of the Opposition in 1795 collected from the works of the most capital Jacobin Artists
- Description
-
One of a set, see BMSat 8636. Wilberforce, as a weathercock, stands with his right foot poised on a pinnacle at the point of intersection of the four points of the compass. He leans forward in profile to the right, both arms stretched out towards a bird which grasps a scroll resting on clouds: 'Peace and Fraternity with France'. The bird is half-dove, and holds an olive branch in its mouth, but the left leg is that of a bird of prey, and in its talons a dagger is clasped, while the left wing is fantastically webbed. Two papers issue from Wilberforce's coat-pocket: 'Charge agt Kimber' and 'Abolition of the Slave Trade'. From his back rises a vertical spike supporting the hat of a Roundhead, its brim inscribed 'Fanaticism, Puritanism'. On its crown sits a raven, shrieking at Wilberforce the word 'Kimber'.
Below (right) is the dome of a minaret terminating in the head of Fox, directing a blast of 'Republicanism' against Wilberforce which has blown him into his present position. Below the title: 'Vide Bewilderforce's Rhapsodies on Peace &ca' 14 April 1795
Etching
- Production date
- 1795
- Dimensions
-
Height: 300 millimetres
-
Width: 238 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
Wilberforce (though anti-Jacobin) proposed, in the debate of 30 Dec. 1794 on the Address, an amendment in favour of peace, and he spoke in favour of Grey's motion for peace on 26 Jan. 1795. 'Parl. Hist.' xxxi. 1016-27, 1230-8; Farington, 'Diary', i. 85-6 (9 Jan. 1795). (On 27 May he himself made a motion for peace, see BMSat 8655.) See Coupland, 'Wilberforce', 1923, pp. 189 ff. On 26 Feb. he spoke on the Slave Trade, urging the expediency of abolition, and was supported by both Fox and Pitt. For the unproven accusation (supported by Wilberforce) against Kimber of murdering a negro girl see BMSats 8079, 8793, and Coupland, op. cit., p. 218 f. For the weathercock emblem cf. BMSat 6230.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1917
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1917,1208.4107
