"George III and Queen Charlotte stand before the open gate of the Treasury, from which Pitt has just wheeled a barrow laden with money-bags. Pitt, the straps of the barrow round his shoulders, his coat-pocket bulging with guineas, obsequiously hands the king a money-bag. George III stands full-face, legs astride, a money-bag inscribed '£100000' under his right arm, another in his right hand and all his pockets overflowing with guineas. Queen Charlotte (left) stands on his right taking a pinch of snuff, and looking up at him with a smile of greedy and satisfied cunning; in her apron is a heap of guineas. Military officers wearing high cocked hats with feather trimmings (in a French fashion), and long pigtail queues, stand round the King and Queen, in a semicircle, in front of the spiked gates of the Treasury, playing musical instruments: fifes, bassoons, a horn, &c. The pockets of the two in the foreground (left and right) are crammed with guineas, those of the others, presumably equally full, are concealed. They represent the placemen and Ministerialists of the Treasury Bench. The most prominent (right) is probably Lord Sydney. In the foreground (left) an old sailor, armless and with two wooden legs, sits on the ground, his empty hat before him. On the right the Prince of Wales, in rags, hesitates to take a paper inscribed 'Accept £200000 from your Friend Orleans', which a slim and foppish Frenchman, in bag-wig and 'chapeau-bras', standing on the extreme right, offers him, taking his hand. He is very different from the heavily built Due d'Orléans (who succeeded his father in Nov. 1785) who had recently presented his portrait by Reynolds (now at Hampton Court) to the Prince of Wales. He had adopted the English manner of dress and made it fashionable in France ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Temporary local subject terms: Treasury building entrance -- Civil list -- National debt -- Miserliness -- Wooden legs -- Amputees -- Sailors -- Allusion to prodigal son.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 21, 1786, by Willm. Holland, No. 66 Drury Lane
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Charlotte, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Orléans, Louis Philippe Joseph, duc d', 1747-1793, Sydney, Thomas Townshend, Viscount, 1733-1800, and Necker, Jacues, 1732-1804
Title from item., Temporary local subject terms: Financial crisis before French Revolution -- Empty treasure chests., and Watermark: J Whatman.
Publisher:
Pub. by S.W. Fores No. 3 Piccadilly Nov. 12, 1788
Subject (Name):
Louis XVI, King of France, 1754-1793, Necker, Jacues, 1732-1804, Calonne, Charles Alexandre de, 1734-1802, and Loménie de Brienne, Etienne Charles de, 1727-1794
