Historical caricatures from 1760-90, 1760-approximately 1793

Summary

Abstract:

This volume contains 146 British satirical prints, dating from 1760-1790, and depicting politicians and political issues including criticism against Lord Bute's influence; the 1763 Peace of Paris at the end of the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War); the American Stamp Act; the 1783 Fox-North Coalition; the 1784 Westminster election; and the Warren Hastings trial.

Extent:

1 volume ; 51 x 41 cm

Language:

English.

Background

Scope and content:

This volume contains 146 British satirical prints, dating from 1760-1790, which are either etched or engraved and pasted onto pages in general chronological order. Many of the prints are annotated with handwritten identifications, descriptions, dates, and reference numbers from the British Museum Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires (BM numbers) in an unidentified hand. Ten of the prints have hand coloring (see pp. 16, 49, 57, 61, 67, 69, 76, 84, 110, and 116).

The prints reflect a variety of political topics including the influence of Lord Bute (John Stuart); the 1763 Peace of Paris at the end of the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War); the American Stamp Act; the 1783 Fox-North Coalition; the 1784 Westminster election; and the Warren Hastings trial. Some of the depicted individuals include King George III; Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland; Princess Augusta; Charles James Fox; Warren Hastings; William Murray, Earl of Mansfield; Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford; Fletcher Norton; William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham; John Russell, Duke of Bedford; John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute; John Wilkes; and Cecil Wray. Many artists, engravers, and printers are represented including artists Thomas Rowlandson and William Hogarth and publishers E. Darchery, S. W. Fores, H. Humphrey, and W. Humphrey. One print, "A Foreign Tree" (page 116), is dated as 1789, but appears to be from 1793-4 during the French "Reign of Terror." There are also two pages containing handwritten descriptions of events (pp. 8a, 87).

With handwritten title page: "Historical caricatures from 1762 [i.e. 1760]-90. This collection includes no caricatures by Gillray, Sayer, or I. Cruikshank" and spine title: "Historical Caricatures, 1762-90." The front inside cover has the bookplate of James Banks Stanhope with the motto "A Deo et rege," and label, "A gift of the Friends of the Huntington Library"; the flyleaf has the bookplate of Justin G. Turner; and there are two copies of a leather bookplate affixed to back inside cover with motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense."

Title based on handwritten title page.

Acquisition information:

Purchased from Zeitlin Ver Brugge, May 1965.

Arrangement:

Arranged in chronological order.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

The Huntington Library holds more than 11,000 British satirical prints cataloged either individually or as large collections. For more information, please contact Reader Services.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Treaty of Paris (1763) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Politicians -- Great Britain -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Broadside poems -- Great Britain -- 18th century.
Caricatures -- Great Britain -- 18th century.
Cartoons (Commentary) -- Great Britain -- 18th century.
Intaglio (prints) -- Great Britain -- 18th century.
Rebuses -- Great Britain -- 18th century.

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:

Huntington Library, Prints and Ephemera Collections

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA 91108, US

Contact:

(626) 405-2191

reference@huntington.org

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