A design for the Strawberry Hill Press edition of Lucan's Pharsalia showing the head of Medusa with swords and spears entertwined, cross-crossed between the snakes that make up her hair. Above her head is a helmet with plumes. On the four corners of the design are the observe and reverse of coins showing Caesar, Anthony, Brutus, and Pompey. In the background is Strawberry Hill. With notes about the design in the artist's hand
Alternative Title:
Fleurons for Dr. Bentley's Lucan printed at Strawberry Hill 1760
Description:
Title from Horace Walpole's ms. note in ink on mount., Date and attribution based on publication: M. Annaei Lucani Pharsalia. [Twickenham] : Strawberry-Hill, MDCCLX [1760]., and Formerly mounted at the top half of leaf 13 in an album assembled by Horace Walpole: Drawings and designs by Richd. Bentley ... [Strawberry Hill], [approximately 1760].
Subject (Name):
Lucan, 39-65. and Strawberry Hill Press (Twickenham, London, England)
"Satire on the expected effect of a return of John Wilkes to parliament. Wilkes as Hercules leaps over the fallen figure of Discord to seize the arm of the Speaker, Sir John Cust, as members flee in all directions. In the front, to right, is Fletcher Norton, holding a bag of money while other coins fall from his pocket as he steps over the mace, lettered "A Mere Bauble" (quoting Oliver Cromwell). In the background, on a pedestal decorated with the mournful figure of Britannia, a bloated figure squats over "Magna Charta". It has three heads, a wolf, a snake and a sheep; one outstretched hand is in the form of a claw, the other holds a bag of money. Behind this figure, Lord Bute, emerges raising hands in shock at the sight of Wilkes/Hercules."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from text above image., Two lines of text below image: The figure on the pedestal is the symbol of bribery, corruption & hypocrisy., Plate from: The Political register and London museum. London : Printed for J. Almon [1767-1772], v. 2 (1768), page 193., and Temporary local subject terms: Mythology -- Influence: Lord Bute's influence -- Emblems: Speaker's mace -- Bags of money -- Personifications: Bribery, Corruption and Hypocrisy -- Weapons: mace.
"A satire on the struggle between Pitt and Thurlow travestied as a scene from 'Paradise Lost'. Pitt (left) is Death, wearing the king's crown and using a long sceptre as a weapon. Thurlow (right) is Satan; he raises the (breaking) mace to smite, and holds out an oval shield decorated with the bag of the Great Seal and a tiny woolsack. The Queen, as Sin, naked, with snaky locks (Medusa-like), and two writhing serpents for legs, interposes with outstretched arms, looking with terrified face at Thurlow in her desire to protect Pitt. She is a hideous hag with pendent breasts; from her snaky hair hangs a large key inscribed 'The Instrument of all our Woe', and evidently symbolizing Secret Influence ... Pitt's naked body is emaciated and corpse-like; from his shoulders hangs a long ermine-trimmed cloak; his sceptre radiates darts of lightning. His face expresses alarm and determination. Behind him, and guarding the gate of Hell which is indicated by a stone arch, is Cerberus, with the profile heads of Dundas, Grenville, and Richmond, looking up at Thurlow; their body terminates in a large serpent with a barbed tail. Thurlow has wings, and is naked except for a quasi-Roman kilt. He wears his Chancellor's wig, his profile and eyebrow are of a terrifying fierceness; serpents twine round his shield, and spit fire at Pitt and the Queen; a serpent entwined in Pitt's crown, and others in the Queen's snaky locks, retaliate. On the right are the flames of Hell in which demons are flying; smoke fills the background. Beneath the design is etched: 'NB: The above performance containing Portraits of the Devil & his Relatives, drawn from the Life, is recommended to Messrs Boydell, Fuselli & the rest of the Proprietors of the Three Hundred & Sixty Five Editions of Milton now publishing, as necessary to be adopted, in their classick Embellishments.'"-- British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Six columns of verse from Milton's Paradise Lost, four above the image and two below: "... black it stood as night, Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as hell, And shook a dreadfull dart: what seemd his head, The likeness of a Kingly crown had on;' ... "Had not the Snaky-Sorceress that sat, "Fast by hell-gate, and kept the fatal Key, "Ris'n, and with hideous outcry rushd between.'", One line of text in bottom of design: NB: The above performance containing portraits of the Devil & his relatives ..., and Mounted to 36 x 49 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 9th, 1792, by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Shakspeare Gallery., Charlotte, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, and Richmond and Lennox, Charles Lennox, Duke of, 1735-1806
Subject (Topic):
Cerberus (Greek mythology), Medusa (Greek mythology), and Serpents
Two medallions side-by-side contrast British Liberty and French Liberty. On the left Britannia is seated under a large oak looking out to sea at a ship under full sail. At her feet lies the British lion, in her hands the scales of justice and a copy of the Magna Charta. On the right French Liberty, Medusa-like, tramples on a decapitated body, as she holds a trident impaled with a head and two hearts. In the background a body hangs from a street lamp shaped like a gibbet. Beneath the images, a list of contrasting virtues and vices of the two countries
Description:
Title etched above images., Printmaker, artist, and publication date from British Museum catalogue., Text in lower right corner of plate, preceded by the word "Price" that has been mostly burnished out: Plain 3d coloured 6., Six lines of text below each image. Under the image of British Liberty: Religion, morality, loyalty ... Under the image of French Liberty: Atheism, perjury, rebellion ... At the lower edge, below both columns: Which is best., and Mounted to 32 x 45 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
France
Subject (Topic):
Medusa (Greek mythology), Britannia (Symbolic character), Decapitations, Hangings (Executions)., Liberty cap, Liberty, Scales, Ships, History, and Foreign public opinion, British
Title from item., Printmaker, artist and imprint from an earlier state in the British Museum online catalogue. This state without imprint, possibly by a different publisher., In lower right corner of plate: Price 3d plain, coloured 6d., Six lines of text below each image: Religion, morality ... (under the image of British Liberty), Atheism, perjury ... (under the image of French Liberty), with additional line below both columns: which is best., Later state, without the publication line, of No. 8284 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7., Temporary local subject terms: British Lion -- Liberty: allusion to Magna Charta -- Symbols: scales of Justice -- Ships -- Symbols: ship with the Union Jack as symbol of power -- Medusa as personification of French liberty -- Executions: Street lantern as gibbet -- Lighting: street light -- Decapitations -- Weapons: daggers., and Watermark: Strasburg bend with initials G R below.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Topic):
Britannia (Symbolic character), Liberty cap, and Medusa (Greek mythology)
Perseus carries in his left hand the head of Medusa who lies dead on the ground at the left; his head is turned back over his shoulder to watch Pegasus fly away
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece: Perseus slaying Medusa
Description:
Title, state, publisher, and date from Paulson. and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
Publisher:
Thomas Wood
Subject (Name):
Theobald, Mr. 1688-1744. (Lewis),
Subject (Topic):
Medusa (Greek mythology), Pegasus (Greek mythology), and Perseus (Greek mythology)
Perseus carries in his left hand the head of Medusa who lies dead on the ground at the left; his head is turned back over his shoulder to watch Pegasus fly away
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece: Perseus slaying Medusa
Description:
Title, state, publisher, and date from Paulson., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Ms. note in Steevens's hand above: Perseus & Andromeda / 170., and On page 52 in volume 1. Plate trimmed to: sheet 16.2 x 10.9 cm.
Publisher:
Thomas Wood
Subject (Name):
Theobald, Mr. 1688-1744. (Lewis),
Subject (Topic):
Medusa (Greek mythology), Pegasus (Greek mythology), and Perseus (Greek mythology)
