Not currently on display at the V&A

James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates

Print
1788-91 (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 13 and 14 respectively, number 13 depicts Charles James Fox running through an arched doorway, defecating as he runs, exclaiming 'I never said he had a right to the Regency I didn't indeed! indeed I didn't!'. In a porter's chair to the right, sits Cornwall (the Speaker), his hands raised in shock and his mouth downturned, demanding 'Lord! Lord! What will this house come to?'
On the left stands Louis Weltje (1745-1810), Comptroller to the Prince of Wales. He wears a pipe and a spoon tucked into an apron string and asks, 'No right to the Regency? den by Got! we shall loose all de sausages!'
In the background can be seen the Opposition benches, lined with members who are also excreting, and have their hands raised in a look of collective dismay. At the front of this group, sit prominent Whigs Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Lord Frederick North (with bandaged eyes to indicate his blindness), and Edmund Burke. The face of Pitt the younger is also visible, peeping around the door.
Lettered with captions, titles and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Seige of Blenheim' and depicts the portico of Blenheim Palace with a figure in the central window defecating with extreme force towards a group of horrified people gathered around a cannon some distance from the house. This group contains the novelist Elizabeth Gunning (1769-1823), who is seated on the cannon and is thrown backwards by the torrent, falling towards her mother, Mrs Susannah Gunning. An elderly Gertrude Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, is shown on the right, holding up her petticoats as a shield exclaiming 'Come under my protection deary's, I'll hide you in Bedfordshire...'. Lieutenant-General John Gunning sneaks away from the scene on the left, wearing regimental dress. Lettered with title, captions, original publisher's name and address, and 'Dedicated to the Duke of A___'.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates (popular title)
  • Bologna Sausages or Opposition Flux'd (assigned by artist)
  • The Seige of Blenheim or the New System of Gunning Discovered (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 13 and 14 respectively, number 13 depicts Charles James Fox running through an arched doorway, defecating as he runs, exclaiming 'I never said he had a right to the Regency I didn't indeed! indeed I didn't!'. In a porter's chair to the right, sits Cornwall (the Speaker), his hands raised in shock and his mouth downturned, demanding 'Lord! Lord! What will this house come to?'
On the left stands Louis Weltje (1745-1810), Comptroller to the Prince of Wales. He wears a pipe and a spoon tucked into an apron string and asks, 'No right to the Regency? den by Got! we shall loose all de sausages!'
In the background can be seen the Opposition benches, lined with members who are also excreting, and have their hands raised in a look of collective dismay. At the front of this group, sit prominent Whigs Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Lord Frederick North (with bandaged eyes to indicate his blindness), and Edmund Burke. The face of Pitt the younger is also visible, peeping around the door.
Lettered with captions, titles and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Seige of Blenheim' and depicts the portico of Blenheim Palace with a figure in the central window defecating with extreme force towards a group of horrified people gathered around a cannon some distance from the house. This group contains the novelist Elizabeth Gunning (1769-1823), who is seated on the cannon and is thrown backwards by the torrent, falling towards her mother, Mrs Susannah Gunning. An elderly Gertrude Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, is shown on the right, holding up her petticoats as a shield exclaiming 'Come under my protection deary's, I'll hide you in Bedfordshire...'. Lieutenant-General John Gunning sneaks away from the scene on the left, wearing regimental dress. Lettered with title, captions, original publisher's name and address, and 'Dedicated to the Duke of A___'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Sheet width: 48.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Publ. Dec 12th, 1788, by S. W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly (Lettered underneath plate 13)
  • Pubd. March 5th 1791 by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street (Lettered underneath plate 14)
Credit line
Gift from the Ministry of Justice
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Bibliographic reference
Collection
Accession number
E.685:9-2014

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdOctober 23, 2014
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest