Stealing off, or, Prudent secesion [sic] [graphic] : "courageous chief! "the first in flight!" / Js. Gillray invt. & fect.

Creator:

Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker.

Copyright Date:

[6 November 1798]

Physical Description:

1 print : etching & aquatint on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 25.6 x 36.1 cm, on sheet 30 x 41 cm

Notes:

Title etched below image.
Two lines of text following title: N.B. The background contains a corner of the House next session, with the reasons for secession; also, a democratic déjeuné, (i.e., Opposition eating up their words).

Abstract:

"Fox flees in terror through the doorway of the House of Commons, taking an enormous stride. Beside him runs a thin demoniac greyhound, Grey, wearing a collar: 'Opposition Grey-Hound'. A small animal runs behind with the head of M. A. Taylor. Through the doorway are seen half the Speaker's chair and the Opposition benches, while the hands of Pitt, who is speaking, project from the left, holding two scrolls: 'O'Conner's list of Secret Traitors' and 'Destruction of Buonaparte - Capture of the French Navy - End of the Irish Rebellion - Voluntary Associations - Europe Arming - Britannia Ruling the Waves'. His words float towards the dismayed Opposition: 'Read o'er This! - And after this! - And then to Breakfast, with what appetite you may!!!' The Opposition are furtively eating papers: Sheridan eats 'Loyalty of the Irish Nation'; Tierney, 'Homage to the French Con[? stitution]'. Between them is squeezed the hat of C. Fox, indicating that between them they have left little room for their leader. Erskine, the egotist [see BMSat 9246, &c], eats 'my own Loyalty'; Shuckburgh, 'French lib[erty]'; Nicholls, 'a Letter to W Pitt'; Burdett, 'Egalité'; an unidentified member eats 'Peace or Ruin'. All wear hats except Burdett and Erskine. The House is lit by candles burnt to the socket, suggesting an all-night sitting. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.

Variant Titles:

Prudent secesion
Prudent secession

Topics:

Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership.
Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons.
Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons.
Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons.
Grey, Charles Grey,--Earl,--1764-1845--Caricatures and cartoons.
Harvey, Francis--Ownership.
Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons.
Shuckburgh-Evelyn, George Augustus William,--Sir,--1751-1804--Caricatures and cartoons.
Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons.
Tierney, George,--1761-1830--Caricatures and cartoons.

Language:

English

Genre:

Aquatints--England--London--1798.
Etchings--England--London--1798.
Satires (Visual works)--England--1798.
Watermarks (Paper)--1801.--CtY-BR
Watermarks (Paper)--J Whatman--1794.--CtY-LW

Format:

Image

Rights:

The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.

Access Restrictions:

Public

Call Number:

Auchincloss Gillray v. 4

Orbis Record:

8175280

Yale Collection:

Beinecke Library

Digital Collection:

General Collection, BRBL, Yale University

oid pointer:

11824081

Citation:

Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7, no. 9263
Wright, T. Works of James Gillray, the caricaturist with the history of his life and times, p. 251

Extent of digitization:

Complete folder digitized.

OID:

11823875

PID:

digcoll:4000045