print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1935,0522.4.172
- Title
- Object: Red or blue; or who's the-?
- Description
-
Wellington, in uniform with cocked hat, boots and sword, stands with folded arms in front of a row of seven Grenadiers who stand rigidly at attention (left) behind him, with bayoneted muskets. He says: 'I like these guards—they are of my own color—well train'd to face about at the word of command—No Blue for me—No, no,—the Red shall—'. He looks on the ground, but facing him stands the Duke of Clarence in admiral's uniform with a band of cheering sailors behind him, who wave their hats and cry 'Blue for ever No Red; Blue for ever'. Similar shouts come from women who wave handkerchiefs from two windows behind him (right). Clarence, his hand on his breast, says, 'I stand on my legetimacy'.
The seven Grenadiers guard a building whose door is inscribed 'Seal Depot', showing that they are those authorized to attest documents in place of the King, see BM Satires No. 16128. At the head of the file (left) is Peel, with Lyndhurst next him; the others are ill-characterized but must be Bathurst, Rosslyn, Aberdeen, and Sir George Murray. The seventh (in the middle) may be the Archbishop. June 2 1830.
Hand-coloured etching.
- Production date
- 1830
- Dimensions
-
Height: 240 millimetres
-
Width: 349 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
A satire on those authorized to control the signature of documents by a stamp in the King's presence, see No. 16122, &c.; it is suggested, as in No. 15774, &c., that Wellington (Colonel of the Grenadiers) aims at supreme power and is thus hostile to Clarence. "Turn about" connotes the volte face over Emancipation, cf. No. 15706. See Nos. 16129, 16137, 16139.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1935
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1935,0522.4.172
