"Folding frontispiece to "A Political Lecture on Heads, alias Blockheads!! A Characteristic Poem: . . .Drawn from Craniological Inspection, after the Manner of Doctors Gall and Spurzheim, of Vienna. By Don Juan Asmodeus. London. Printed for the Author, and Published by John Fairburn, 2, Broadway, Ludgate-Hill (Price One Shilling)." Ten half length caricature portraits arranged in two rows, and, except for the last two, in separate compartments, each illustrating a section of the verse-satire. The date is after Peterloo (16 August 1819), see British Museum Satires No. 13258, and before the King's death (29 Jan. 1820). [1] 'Derry-Down-Triangle', Castlereagh, with ass's ears, his head, adorned by a tiny gibbet, turned in profile to the left, holds up a scourge. On a scroll is the motto 'EIREN·GO·BRAY' (see British Museum Satires No. 13301). [2] 'State Jackal', Canning, directed to the left, holds a pistol in each hand. On his head is a triangle, bells hanging from its apex as from a fool's cap. Behind him is a package inscribed 'Lisbon 20.000 weight'. For his much-attacked mission to Lisbon see British Museum Satires No. 12872, for the duel with Castlereagh, British Museum Satires No. 11370, &c. [3] 'Quack Doctor' [cf. British Museum Satires No. 9849], Sidmouth, in profile to the left, holds a pike on which is speared a ball inscribed 'Circular Pills' [see British Museum Satires No. 13282, &c.]. On his head is a pestle and mortar inscribed 'Drugs for John Bull'. At his back is a large 'Bible' (like Liverpool he was an Evangelical). [4] 'Chancery Jack', the shoulders of Eldon, who scowls to the right, emerge from a 'Coal Tub' (as son of a Newcastle hoastman or coal-broker). He wears wig and gown, across his forehead is a bandage inscribed 'In Chancery'; from his mouth issues the word 'Equity'. [5] Liverpool, in profile to the left, spoons into his mouth liquid from a bowl of 'Water Gruel for the Poor' held in his left hand. On his head is a round tea-tray inscribed '£4.000'; on this are two cups and an urn inscribed 'Cordial Tea'. [6] 'Croaking-Frog--' Croker sits, pen in hand, in profile to the left; on his head is a frog. At his shoulder is a flag inscribed Dry . Rot . In . Navy' above two broken anchors. He says "Fal de Raltit," and before him is a paper: 'Talavira [sic] Algiers 2000'. He has an oddly shaped seat, resting his arm on a 'Quarterly Review', above a longer (curved) block inscribed 'Couriers'. (He was Secretary to the Admiralty, see British Museum Satires No. 12310, author of 'Talavera', a leading contributor to the 'Quarterly', and (with Arbuthnot) manager of the Press for the Ministry.) [7] 'Dunderass--' Lord Melville (First Lord of the Admiralty), in tartan, is in profile to the left, holding a pinch of snuff. Across his chest is a broad band: 'Pickings of Dad 60.000 [see British Museum Satires No. 10377, &c.] Place 10.000.' He wears a curious head-dress topped by a man-of-war surrounded by smoke. [8] 'Waterloo-Man--' Wellington, so styled by Hone, see British Museum Satires No. 13302, stands in profile to the left, wearing a cocked hat on which stands a cannon. He holds a dagger transfixing a bleeding heart; behind his back is a bundle inscribed 'Iquisition' [sic], across his chest is a placard: 'Coruption [sic] Prize . Money £60.000 Allowances £200.000 &c &c.' The text is a savage attack, e.g.: His soldiers 'sav'd the Spanish nation'; | Sav'd them--to send them to perdition | By 'Ferdinand's' crust [sic] 'Inquisition' [see British Museum Satires No. 13009] and (on Waterloo): The 'General' he'd not aught to do | But scenes of triumph to review [having lingered in Brussels]. For the campaign against pensions see British Museum Satires No. 12781, &c. [9 and 10] 'Chere-Amie', Lady Hertford in profile to the right, holds a sceptre and wears a crown-like coronet. She offers the Regent a large goblet of 'Noyau', saying, "Take another sup my Jewel. Grand-Lama--" The Regent leans back tipsily, his eyes almost closed. A little demon, holding a firebrand, flies towards him, flinging a noose at his head. See British Museum Satires No. 11853."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attribution to George and Robert Cruikshank from pencil annotation on the British Museum impression; see British Museum catalogue., Frontispiece to: Asmodeus, J. A political lecture on heads, alias blockheads!! A characteristic poem ... London : J. Fairburn, [1819], Approximate month of publication from the British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1865,1111.614., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 53 in volume 1 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and All figures except Lady Hertford (bottom row, second from the right) identified in ink beneath their respective caricatures. Typed key to the figures (with Lady Hertford misidentified as "Caroline") pasted above print.
Publisher:
John Fairburn
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Hertford, Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of, 1760-1834, Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838, Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of, 1770-1828, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, Canning, George, 1770-1827, Croker, John Wilson, 1780-1857, Melville, Robert Saunders Dundas, Viscount, 1771-1851, and Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852
"The King, dressed as a mandarin, falls back fainting on a settee, attended by three stout ladies and General Bloomfield, all in Chinese dress. Behind is a slanting cloud of smoke, inscribed: 'The Bill is lost through your favorite Clause.' He murmurs: "Curse the Bishops, Oh I faint, I faint, I shall never survive this." Bloomfield, identified by a paper in his pocket: 'The Farmers Boy' [cf. British Museum Satires No. 13237], bends towards him, saying, "aye that Cursed Adultery Clause has done the Business--"; he proffers a glass of 'Coniac'. A lady supports each arm, holding a bottle of 'Eau de Col[ogne]' to his nose; one, in back view, is (?) Lady Hertford; the other, Lady Conyngham, says: "Rouse my Love, & we will go, where the Rocks of Coral grow,! let us quit this Religious Country & go to Hanover." The third (? Mrs. Quentin) throws up her arms in despair. A huge Chinese jar (left) is decorated with a dragon; carved dragons or monsters support the sofa, and a table (right) on which is a decanter of 'Curacoa'."--British Museum online catalogue and A Chinese man falls back fainting onto a settee, attended by three ladies and a man all in Chinese dress; representing the King's anguish at the bill (which condemned the Queen's adultery and reduced her rights) being thrown out
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to William Heath in the British Museum online catalogue, registration no: 1935,0522.12.138., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Watermark: J. Whatman 1819., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 21 in volume 2 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figure of "George IV" identified in pencil at bottom of sheet. Typed extract of twenty-four lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted opposite (on verso of preceding leaf).
Publisher:
Pub. Nov. 15, 1820, by S.W. Fores, 41 Picadilly [sic]
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and Grande-Bretagne
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Hertford, Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of, 1760-1834, Conyngham, Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness, -1861, Quentin, Georgina, and Bloomfield, Benjamin Bloomfield, Baron, 1768-1846
Subject (Topic):
Chinese, Fashion, House furnishings, National characteristics, Chinese, Chinois, Ameublement, Ethnic stereotypes, Mistresses, Sofas, Loss of consciousness, and Alcoholic beverages
Print shows a design in five numbered ovals, with a central medallion portrait atop a pillar featuring the Duke of York ("The Aga"), surrounded by four smaller medallions featuring a portrait of Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke ("Fatima pinning up a new list"), Mrs. Clarke's confidante and coauthor of her memoirs, Elizabeth Taylor ("Tailoriska"), Captain Huxley Sandon, who testified as a witness at the Duke of York's rial in 1809 ("Captn. Sandonasso"), and emblematical design showing "Cupid the Arbitrator of promotions", wearing an officer's bicorne hat, holding a sword in one hand and a bishop's miter in the other, and seated beside a cornucopia of coins; at the foot of the design is the head of Medusa crowned with serpents
Description:
Title supplied by cataloger., Illustration to the satirical piece "The trial of Fatima Clarkis. A fragment of an oriental tale", by "Barnaby Sketchwell", which concerned the 1809 trial of the Duke of York, the king's second son and commander-in-chief of the army, for his alleged involvement in the sale of commissions by his former mistress, Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke., Plate from: Sketchwell, B. London characters, or, Fashions and customs, of the present century. London : Printed for the booksellers in Bond-street ..., 1809, v. 2, facing page 317., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Lettered below image: 1. The Aga. 2. Fatima pinning up a new list. 3. Tailoriska. 4. Captn. Sandonasso. 5. Cupid the Arbitrator of promotions., "Vide, page 317"--Lower right., and Mounted on recto of first front flyleaf.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Frederick Augustus, Prince, Duke of York and Albany, 1763-1827, Clarke, Mary Anne, 1776?-1852, Taylor, Elizabeth, active 1800, Sandon, Huxley, and Cupid (Roman deity),
