Pitt, leaping through the air and surrounded by demons, pursues (left to right) fleeing swine with human heads. In his right hand he flourishes a scourge with three weighted lashes, two inscribed 'Powder Tax', the third 'Wig Tax'. The swine wear wigs or have long hair. In his left hand he holds a sceptre terminating in a spike with which he prods a pig who turns round to snarl. Two of the attendant demons breathe fire and hold firebrands. A small demon prods with a triden, and seizes the tail of, a large pig who leaps through the air, its wig flying from its head. Another demon rides a pig, flourishing a scourge. Four birds (right) fly away. Pitt is grotesquely caricatured as are the heads of the swine
Alternative Title:
Hell broke loose, Billy and his gang working the swine
Description:
Title from text below image., Date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Signed at bottom of image with artist W. O'Keeffe's monogram., and A satire on the Powder tax and on Burke's phrase "the swinish multitude".
Publisher:
Pubd. by P. Roberts, 28 Middle-row, Holborn
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806
Subject (Topic):
Hair powder, Taxation, Taxatiion, Demons, and Swine
