The balance of power, or, "The posterity of the immortal Chatham turn'd posture master" [graphic].
Found In:
Lewis Walpole Library > The balance of power, or, "The posterity of the immortal Chatham turn'd posture master" [graphic].
Description
- Title
- The balance of power, or, "The posterity of the immortal Chatham turn'd posture master" [graphic].
- Alternative Title
- Posterity of the immortal Chatham turned posture master
- Creator
- Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker
- Contributor
- Bohn, Henry G. 1796-1884, publisher.
- Published / Created
- [21 April 1791] and [printed 1851?]
- Publication Place
- London
- Publisher
- Publishd. April 21st, 1791, by H. Humphrey, N. 18 Old Bond St.
- Abstract
-
"Pitt, very thin and elongated, poises on one toe on a tight-rope; he holds a long balancing-pole in both hands, on one end (left) sits the Sultan, on the other (right) Catherine II. The Turk, whose end of the pole is slightly the lower, clutches it desperately, saying, "My dear Billy, do help me to make another push, & I'll give you - half of my Seraglio". The fat Empress sits with her hands on her hips; she wears a crown, in her right hand is a sceptre, in her left a paper inscribed 'New Russian Conquests'. She says "Both Billy - the Flat, & yourself may do your worst you circumcised dog! get me down if you can! - I'll match you all, & swallow Thousands more!" Pitt stands with his head raised arrogantly in profile to the right; he says, "The old Hag cannot move me, & Seraglios cannot bribe me: - I have nothing to do with these matters - my Pole will always remain level - ". On the ground beneath the rope stands a dwarfish Sheridan (right) in profile to the left, grotesquely caricatured as a clown; he wears trousers and long sleeves which cover his hands and hang down. He says: "O! the Devil! the Devil! The Cow leaps over the Moon! And if I could once get up on the Rope, Lord! I'd fill my Pockets soon: - I mean, I would soon bring her down: fol der lol, fol der ol"."--British Museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state
- Description
-
Title etched below image.
Printmaker from description of earlier state in the British Museum catalogue.
Reissue, with added plate numbering. Cf. No. 7846 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6.
Date of printing based on that of Bohn's Suppressed plates.
Plate probably from: Bohn, ii, 8, Suppressed plates.
Text following title: Vide Sherridans speech.
Sheet trimmed to plate mark, and the number "8" has likely been erased from sheet.
Temporary local subject terms: Circus performances: walking on rope -- Allusion to Russian conquests -- Clowns -- Allusion to Sheridan's speech in the House of Commons, 15 April, 1791 -- Allusion to William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778. - Provenance
- H. Hill; 1961.
- Extent
- 1 print : sheet 35.2 x 25 cm
- Language
-
English
Collection Information
- Repository
- Lewis Walpole Library
- Call Number
- 791.04.21.01+
Subjects, Formats, And Genres
- Genre
-
Caricatures and cartoons
Humor
Satires (Visual works) England 1791
Etchings England London 1851 - Material
- etching ; and wove paper.
- Resource Type
- still image
- Subject (Name)
-
Catherine II, Empress of Russia, 1729-1796
Selim III, Sultan of the Turks, 1761-1808
Pitt, William, 1759-1806
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816 - Subject (Topic)
-
Great Britain
Foreign relations - Subjects
-
Catherine II, Empress of Russia, 1729-1796 > Caricatures and cartoons
Selim III, Sultan of the Turks, 1761-1808 > Caricatures and cartoons
Pitt, William, 1759-1806 > Caricatures and cartoons
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816 > Caricatures and cartoons
Great Britain > Foreign relations > 1789-1820 > Humor
England > 1791
England > London > 1851
Access And Usage Rights
- Access
- Public
- Rights
- The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.
Identifiers
- Orbis Record
- 7770827
- Object ID (OID)
- 10732565