James Gillray - The Taming of the shrew,1791

James Gillray 1756/1757-1815

The Taming of the shrew
 ( la mégèere apprivoisée  1594 - Shakespeare 1564- 1616)
Cartoon shows Catherine II, faint and shying away from William Pitt, who appears as Petruchio, and Don Quixote on horseback (a lean and scarred George III whose authority has been usurped by Pitt), seated behind Pitt are the King of Prussia and a figure representing Holland as Sancho Panza, Selim III kneels to kiss the horse's tail; a gaunt figure representing the old order in France and Leopold II render assistence to Catherine by preventing her from falling to the ground.

According to Wright & Evans, Historical and Descriptive Account of the Caricatures of James Gillray (1851) p. 33, "On the attempted intermediation of Great Britain, backed by Prussia and Holland, between Russia and Turkey, in the spring of 1791. Austria and France are giving encouragement to the Empress Catharine. Turkey, which was suffering severely, takes shelter behind Pitt and his supporters, who have ridden rather roughly the Hanoverian horse."

James Gillray - The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in Danger

James Gillray 1757-1815

The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in Danger by James Gillray

 22 May 1797

You may know The Bank of England as The Old Lady, a name which was coined in a 1797 cartoon by James Gillray entitled Political Ravishment or The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in Danger.

It attacks Prime Minister William Pitt The Younger and makes the suggestion that he has misused his power to get his hands on the bank’s reserves.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/may/14/james-gillray-bank-of-england

http://www.designweek.co.uk/whats-on/mocking-the-old-lady/3036463.article

James Gillray - Colonial Powers 1783

James Gillray - 1757-1815
 Colonial Powers 1783

James Gillray cartoon showing England being reproached

by France, Spain and Holland for 'losing' America.

Dilettante Theatricals: or a Peep at the Green Room by James Gillray, 1803

James Gillray - Lady Godina's Rout;—or—Peeping-Tom spying out Pope-Joan

James Gillray  1757-1815


Lady Godina's Rout;—or—Peeping-Tom spying out Pope-Joan

SUMMARY: A fashionable crowd playing cards at two tables. In the foreground, four people playing the game Pope-Joan. One of the women is wearing a loose fitting semi-transparent dress with her breasts exposed. Behind her, peering down her dress, is a man who is about to cut off a candle due to his distracted state. Rear view of a fat woman dominates the left side of the picture.


MEDIUM: 1 print : etching, hand-colored.


CREATED/PUBLISHED: [London] : H. Humphrey, 1796 March 12th.


According to the National Portrait Gallery of the UK, the caricature refers to Lady Georgiana Gordon (1781–1853), Duchess of Bedford from 1803 until her death; the title and the lecherous servant refer to Lady Godiva. Pope-Joan is a card game; Lady "Godina" is holding the diamond nine, which is called the "Pope" in that game. The man sitting on Lady "Godina"'s right is John Sneyd (1763–1835); the fat woman sitting on her left is Albinia, Countess of Buckinghamshire (died 1816).

James Gillray - The Hopes of the Party, prior to July 14th.

English: The Hopes of the Party, prior to July 14^th. —"From such wicked Crown & Anchor-Dreams, good Lord deliver us."

SUMMARY: Satire on the dinner at the Crown and Anchor tavern and on the radicals who extolled the French Revolution. Charles James Fox raises an axe to strike the neck of George III, whose head is held by Sheridan, and legs by John Horne Tooke. Priestley and Sir Cecil Wray stand behind Sheridan.

MEDIUM: 1 print : etching, hand-colored.

CREATED/PUBLISHED: [London] : Pubd. by S.W. Fores, 1791 July 19th.

According to Wright & Evans, Historical and Descriptive Account of the Caricatures of James Gillray (1851, OCLC 59510372), p. 35, "On the supposed design of the party headed by Fox and Sheridan to enlist the people of England in the same revolutionary cause which now flourished in France. The Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, was the grand place of meeting of the Revolution Society. Lord Stanhope, who rendered himself remarkable by his strong democratic principles, was supposed at this moment to be hesitating in the part he was to take in politics. Lord Stanhope married Lady Hester Pitt, daughter of the first Lord Chatham, and sister to William Pitt, the Minister."

James Gillray - the Duchess of Devonshire

James Gillray 1757-1815


The Devonshire, or Most Approved Method of Securing Votes, published by William Humphrey in 1784

 Devonshire

James Gillray and Mrs Hannah Humphrey

James Gillray 1757-1815
and Miss Hannah Humphrey

slippy weather 1808

sur cette gravure, on voit la boutique de Miss Humphrey à l'arrière plan dans St James' Street et on reconnait des oeuvres de Gillray.
à partir de 1791 , James Gillray travailla exclusivement pour Mrs Hannah Humphrey et en 1793, il occupa une chambre au dessus de la boutique de Hannah dans Old Bond street, puis il l'accompagna aussi quand elle déménagea à  New Bond Street en 1794 et enfin en 1797 dans St James' Street,ce qui a toujours laissé supposer que leur relation n'était pas seulement commerciale..

à part un chien qui aboie, tous les passants sont rivés sur les gravures exposés de Gillray et sont indifférents à la chute spectaculaire du viel homme dans cette rue verglacée

two penny whist

Dans cette partie de whist, Miss Hannah Humphrey porte des lunettes et l'autre femme est son assistante Betty. Les deux hommes sont des connaissances de Gillray, Mortimer et Tholdal.

Gillray : la valse

Dans les années 1950, c'est le rock qui est déclaré obscène mais en 1810, en Angleterre, c'est la valse ,cette danse qui vient du Continent.

1810 adaptation by Gillray of the earlier French waltz caricature - (At this time the Waltz was very new in England, and considered rather scandalous, because of the way the gentleman's arm encircles the lady's waist as part of the dance.) 

en savoir plus sur la valse (link)

Cette nouvelle danse tira tout naturellement son nom du mot allemand « walzen » (tourner). Ainsi naquit la valse dans la ville de Vienne.

Pour préserver son équilibre, et assurer un déplacement harmonieux, il fallut se rapprocher et former un couple de danse. Un couple « fermé » qui plus est, tirant son énergie de son repli sur lui-même.

Les défenseurs de la morale et de l’establishment furent scandalisés par ces contacts indécents et s’offusquèrent du manque de convenance d’une danse sans protocole qui plaçait l’individu au-dessus des contingences sociales. 

en savoir plus sur les débuts de la valse en France (link) qui , à la révolution française, va détroner le menuet

James Gillray - Dido forsaken:cartoon

James Gillray - Dido forsaken (1787)

the Prince of Wales (1762-1830) denied his clandestine marriage to Mrs Fitzherbert (1756-1837); winds with the faces of William Pitt (1759-1806) and Henry Dundas (1742-1811); Charles James Fox (1749-1806) at the helm;

James Gillray:WIFE & NO WIFE — OR — A TRIP TO THE CONTINENT:cartoon

James Gillray

wife & no wife or a trip to the continent

1787

 .

On the secret marriage said to have taken place between the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Fitzherbert. Fox is giving away the bride; while Burke, in the disguise of a Jesuit, is performing the ceremony. There are several allusions to the Romanism of the lady. Lord North, who appears to have acted as the driver in their "trip," has fallen asleep. They are said to have been married by the Rev. Samuel Johnes.

en savoir plus sur le prince de Galles , futur george iv (fr), Prince of Wales (en)

                             Maria Fitzherbert (en)

Gillray:Pitt,Fox,sheridan,Priestlay

James Gillray

Britannia between Scylla & Charybdis. or— The Vessel of the Constitution steered clear of the Rock of Democracy, and the Whirlpool of Arbitrary-Power.
Pub. by H. Humphrey, April 8th 1793.

Pitt steering small boat, The Constitution, which also carries Britannia, towards a castle with a flag inscribed "Haven of Public Happiness". They are pursued by Sheridan, Fox, and Priestley, who are sharks, dogs of Scylla.