"A mounted officer with drawn sabre heads a procession of 'Volunteers' linked by a chain to his horse and to each other. The horse is a well-bred animal with handsome trappings, but the rider is lean and has torn breeches. He is followed by a file of three whose necks are attached to the horse and whose hands or arms are pinioned. All are miserable wretches, barelegged and ragged; the last, less abject, has sabots and takes snuff. He is chained to the neck of a donkey on whose back is a pannier containing three despairing conscripts. To the animal's tail is tied a low truck on which a moribund shackled man lies on his back, his knees drawn up. To the truck is chained, in a stooping position, a man whose hands are tied behind his back, his nails being long talons. Birds, scenting carrion, fly towards the procession. Below the design: 'Dedicated (by an Eye Witness) to the Volunteers of Great Britain'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched in top part of image., Printmaker identified as Gillray and the artist questionably identified as Charles Loraine Smith in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark on three edges., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 21.8 x 60.4 cm., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark; mounted to 28 x 66 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Octr. 25th, 1803, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street
Subject (Geographic):
France.
Subject (Topic):
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815, Soldiers, French, and Starvation
