- Museum number
- J,3.97
- Title
- Object: Making-decent; -i.e.- broad-bottomites getting into the grand costume
- Description
-
Members of the new Ministry in a handsome room prepare themselves for office, each intent on his toilet. Both Fox and Grey look into a large pier-glass on the extreme left., whose frame is surmounted by the Royal Arms and Prince's feathers, indicating Carlton House and the Prince's 'ostentatious patronage' of the new Ministry. [W. Fitzpatrick, 'H.M.C., Dropmore MSS.' viii, p. viii.] Fox (Foreign Secretary), wearing a tattered shirt, shaves, holding a small bowl filled with lather. On a chair are the coat (blue with red facings, the Windsor uniform) and feathered cocked hat which he is about to put on; against it leans a sword with a jewelled hilt, while his discarded coat and bonnet rouge with tricolour cockade lie beneath it. Beside him stands the taller Grey, brushing his teeth. He wears naval uniform (as First Lord) Behind him, also in profile to the left., stands Sidmouth (Lord Privy Seal), his head and shoulders the centre of clouds of powder, which Vansittart is puffing at him from a powdering-bag. His Windsor uniform is protected by a long towel; in his coat pocket is a clyster-pipe (see BMSat 9849). In the foreground little Lord Henry Petty struts with pointed toe, delighted at the effect of his Chancellor of the Exchequer's gown, which trails on the ground behind him, far too long. Windham (Secretary for War and Colonies), behind him, sits full face over a tub, washing his feet; he wears waistcoat and rolled-up shirt-sleeves; his hat and stockings are on the ground. Next is the centre figure, Lord Grenville (First Lord of the Treasury), in shirt and bag-wig, hitching up his breeches, and thus accentuating his heavy posteriors, which gave a second meaning to the term Broad-bottom Ministry (see BMSat 10530). Moira (Master of the Ordnance) stands stiffly with his back to the wall, tying his high black stock. He wears regimentals with boots and cocked hat. The Duke of Bedford, very neat in shirt and breeches, sits on a stool pulling on a top-boot, resting his leg on the left shoulder of Tierney, who sits at his feet, drawing on a Hessian boot. Both are in profile to the right., and are preparing for a journey to Ireland. Beside Bedford are two papers: 'New way of Improving the Irish-Breed of Black Cattle' and 'Road from Wooburn Farm to Ireland' [on this Tierney is sitting]. Behind Bedford, Sheridan struggles into a shirt; on the wall hangs his discarded Harlequin dress with mask and wooden sword (see BMSat 9916). Lord Spencer (Home Secretary), behind and on the r. of Sheridan, in waistcoat and shirt-sleeves, washes his hands in a basin on a table. On the extreme right. is the corner of a dressing-table, in the mirror of which Erskine delightedly adjusts his hat over his Chancellor's wig. He wears an enormously long Chancellor's gown with the Purse of the Great Seal hanging from his arm. Behind him on the wall hangs his discarded barrister's wig. The mace, reversed, leans against the table. 20 February 1806
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1806
- Dimensions
-
Height: 245 millimetres
-
Width: 348 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
All are self-absorbed and isolated, except for Vansittart, Sidmouth's henchman, and Tierney, who was spoken of for the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland. 'H.M.C., Dropmore MSS.' viii. 49. He was (temporarily) crowded out in the scramble for places. He, Moira, Sheridan, and Erskine represent the Carlton House element in the Ministry. All (except Tierney) were in the new Cabinet except Vansittart, Secretary to the Treasury, Sheridan, Treasurer of the Navy, and Bedford. Three others do not appear: Ellenborough (Lord Chief Justice), Fitzwilliam (President of the Council), and Auckland (President of the Board of Trade). 'Grand Costume' suggests the official dress of the French Directory, a favourite subject of Gillray, in which Fox appeared (1798) as 'le Ministre d'Etat, en Grand Costume', see BMSat 9196, &c. The Ministry was not settled till 3 Feb., the minor places (see BMSat 10540) not till considerably later. See 'Cobbett's Pol. Reg.', 8 Feb. 1806; 'Private Corr. of Lord G. L. Gower', 1916, ii. 177. Lady Bessborough writes 15 Feb.): 'What a scene of rapacity, self interest, discomfort, rancour and heart burnings, this change of Administration has occasion'd!' For the new Ministry see also BMSats 10523, 10525, 10526, 10527, 10528, 10529, 10530, 10S32, 10540, 10541, 10542, 10543, 10544, 10545, 10546, 10549.
Grego, 'Gillray', pp. 328-9 (reproduction). Wright and Evans, No. 310. Sprinted, 'G.W.G.', 1830.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2001 Jun-Sep, London, Tate Britain, 'Gillray and the Art of Caricature'
- Associated names
-
Associated with: Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
-
Associated with: John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford
-
Associated with: Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine
-
Associated with: Charles James Fox
-
Associated with: George VI, King of the United Kingdom
-
Associated with: William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville
-
Associated with: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
-
Associated with: Francis Rawdon Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings and 2nd Earl of Moira
-
Associated with: Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne
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Associated with: Richard Brinsley Sheridan
-
Associated with: George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer
-
Associated with: George Tierney
-
Associated with: Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley
-
Associated with: William Windham
- Acquisition date
- 1818
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- J,3.97
