Not currently on display at the V&A

James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates

Print
1782-91 (first published), ca. 1850 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Two plates from an album containing 45 numbered prints on wove paper, the majority printed two per page, recto only. Numbered 7 and 8 respectively, number 7 depicts a man peeping into a high bathroom window where a naked woman coquettishly washes, aware of the man's prescence. She is accompanied by a maid who exclaims 'Good look! My Lady, the Capt will see all for nothing'. Lettered with title, captions, and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Balance of Power or The Posterity of the Immortal Chatham turned Posture Master' and depicts Catherine II (1729-1796), Empress of Russia; the Prime Minister William Pitt (later to become Lord Chatham); and Sultan Selim III of the Ottoman Empire. Lord Chatham tight-rope walks between the steadfast Empress and the bribe-offering Sultan, holding a pole to balance with, which pokes up the dress of the Empress on the right. Each figure has a speech bubble stating their political intentions. Beneath the three is a small figure representing Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the dramatist and parliamentary orator. Lettered with captions,title, and original publisher's name and address.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates (popular title)
  • Sir Richard Worse than Sly (assigned by artist)
  • The Balance of Power (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Print on wove paper
Brief description
Two plates from an album of 40 'suppressed' caricatures featuring sexual, scatalogical and politically outrageous subject matter by James Gillray (1756-1815). Issued mid-19th century.
Physical description
Two plates from an album containing 45 numbered prints on wove paper, the majority printed two per page, recto only. Numbered 7 and 8 respectively, number 7 depicts a man peeping into a high bathroom window where a naked woman coquettishly washes, aware of the man's prescence. She is accompanied by a maid who exclaims 'Good look! My Lady, the Capt will see all for nothing'. Lettered with title, captions, and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Balance of Power or The Posterity of the Immortal Chatham turned Posture Master' and depicts Catherine II (1729-1796), Empress of Russia; the Prime Minister William Pitt (later to become Lord Chatham); and Sultan Selim III of the Ottoman Empire. Lord Chatham tight-rope walks between the steadfast Empress and the bribe-offering Sultan, holding a pole to balance with, which pokes up the dress of the Empress on the right. Each figure has a speech bubble stating their political intentions. Beneath the three is a small figure representing Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the dramatist and parliamentary orator. Lettered with captions,title, and original publisher's name and address.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Sheet width: 48.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Publ. March 14, 1782, by H. Brown, Oxford Market (Lettered underneath plate 7)
  • Publ. April 21st, 1791, by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street (Lettered underneath plate 8)
Credit line
Gift from the Ministry of Justice
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
E.685:6-2014

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Record createdOctober 22, 2014
Record URL
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