"A see-saw representing the state of the poll between Fox and Wray, Mrs. Hobart (left) seated on one end, the Duchess of Devonshire (right) on the other, in front of the polling-booth in Covent Garden. Mrs. Hobart, enormously fat, quite out-weighs the Duchess, and is, moreover, held down by Lord Hood who kneels behind her (left), while Sir Cecil Wray stands beside him watching the contest with an enigmatical expression. Fox stands behind the Duchess trying to hold down her end of the plank, but in vain; his uplifted left arm and closed eyes express the despair which he actually felt in the early days of polling (Russell, 'Corr. of Fox', ii. 267). The ladies face each other astride the plank, their arms outstretched, their bosoms bare. The plank rests on an irregular stone post. An excited crowd, very freely sketched, watches from the hustings and from below them; they scream encouragement to the rivals, waving their hats. Over the head of Wray is a playbill, 'The Rival Candidates Farce'; behind the Duchess is another, 'Duke and no Duke Play'. The former was a comic opera by Henry Bate (afterwards Bate-Dudley), first played 1775, the latter a farce by Tate, 1605."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Reissue by Humphrey of a plate originally published by Elizabeth Darchery; previous imprint statement has been burnished from plate and a new one etched in its place., Date of publication based on earlier state with the imprint "Pub. April 27th, 1784, by E. Darchery, St. James's Street." Cf. New York Public Library, Caricatures collected by Horace Walpole (catalog ID: b16513354), Walpole 64., Temporary local subject terms: Election favors -- Polls -- See-saws -- Playbills -- Hustings -- Literature: Sir Henry Bate Dudley, Bt, 1745-1824, The rival candidates -- Literature: Tate, fl. 1605, Duke and no duke., and Mounted to 31 x 43 cm.
Publisher:
Publishd. by Wm. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Hood, Samuel Hood, Viscount, 1724-1816, Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805, Buckinghamshire, Albinia Hobart, Countess of, 1738-1816, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, and Great Britain. Parliament
Leaf 19. Caricatures drawn & etched by those celebrated artists Gillray, Rowlandson, Cruikshanks
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"The Duchess of Devonshire, carrying Fox on her back, approaches an alehouse. The host, a black man named 'Mungo', stands on his doorstep delightedly filling a glass for the Duchess; a fat disreputable slattern stands behind him. The Duchess, who supports herself by a large staff, holds a full purse in her hand, saying, "For the good of the Constitution give me a Glass of Gin", the suggestion being that she will pay a large sum for the gin to secure a vote (cf. British Museum Satires No. 6548). Her hat with ostrich plumes and fox's brush has a favour inscribed 'Fox ForNi'. Fox, one hand resting on her shoulder, waves his hat; they are both in profile to the right. Over the doorway of the alehouse (or perhaps brothel) is inscribed 'Mungo's Hotel Dealer in British Spirits'; the woman says, "Give the poor Man a Vote my Dear he is a good Man for the Ladies". A dog beside her barks at the visitors. The gabled roofs and casement windows indicated in the background suggest that this is an old and disreputable part of Westminster, resembling Peter Street as in British Museum Satires No. 6548. The crowd, which is very freely sketched, also suggests a low neighbourhood; a man and woman walk or dance along, their arms round each other's shoulders; he flourishes a full tankard. An excited group shout and wave their hats round two tall standards: one, 'Fox and Liberty all over the world', above two crossed executioner's axes, the other, 'Rights of the Commons' and 'No Prerogative', with a cap of Liberty on the pole."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Rowlandson in the British Museum catalogue., Restrike, with etched lines added to plate to cover the bosoms of both women. For an early reissue of the plate by William Humphrey, see no. 6526 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Plate originally issued with the imprint "Pub. April 27th, 1784, by E. Darchery, St. James's Street". Cf. New York Public Library, Caricatures collected by Horace Walpole (catalog ID: b16513354), Walpole 64., Plate from: Caricatures drawn & etched by those celebrated artists Gillray, Rowlandson, Cruikshanks, &c. [London] : [Field & Tuer], [ca. 1868?], Cf. Grego, J. Rowlandson the caricaturist, v. 1, pages 127-8., Temporary local subject terms: Prudery: Plate altered., and On leaf 19 of: Caricatures drawn & etched by those celebrated artists Gillray, Rowlandson, Cruikshanks, &c.
Publisher:
Publishd. by Wm. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand and Field & Tuer
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Hood, Samuel Hood, Viscount, 1724-1816, Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805, Buckinghamshire, Albinia Hobart, Countess of, 1738-1816, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, and Great Britain. Parliament
