"Sir John Jervis sits in profile to the right at a table; his left hand clutches a pile of guineas, his right fist is raised to emphasize his words which are etched below the title: 'Phaedrus: - "The first Share is mine, because, I bore my part in killing the Prey; - the Second falls to my Lot, because I am King of the Beasts; - & if any one presumes to touch the Third!!!' The table is inscribed 'Unclaimed Dividends'; on it is a book: 'Hints on St Eustatia Prize Money'. On the carpeted floor lie torn papers: [1] 'Petition of Widow of ... . praying for payment of her Husbands dividend.' [2] 'Humble Petition of John lost a Leg in the Battle ...' [3] 'Starving for want of Just dividend,' [4] 'Petition of Major. . . who lost is [?] Beauty', and others which are illegible. On the wall which forms a background is an oval picture of 'Thieves dividing the Spoil', in the centre of four oblong prints: [1] Two bodies hanging from a gallows inscribed 'Peculation \ Tyburn'; [2] a map of 'St Vincents'; [3] 'Loaves & Fishes'; [4] a map of 'Martinico' showing 'Fort Bourbon'. Jervis wears admiral's uniform with a cocked hat and jack-boots."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker identified as Gillray in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Prize money -- Pictures amplifying subject: reference to Cape St. Vincent -- Pictures amplifying subject: reference to the conquest of the French West Indies -- Pictures amplifying subject: reference to contributions levied in West Indies -- Obesity., and Mounted to 42 x 28 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Jany 2d, 1797, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
