James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates
Print
1790 (first published), ca. 1850 (printed)
1790 (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 15 and 16 respectively, number 15 depicts an ogre holding a large knife and fork in each hand. He also holds the petticoat of a young woman who he is lifting off the floor so she dangles horizontally in front of his ghoulish, open mouth. She is exposed from the waist down and stretches her hands out in fear towards two other women who are running away in fright. Lettered with title and the original publisher's name, date, and address.
The second print on the same page is entitled 'Swearing to the Cutting Monster or A Scene in Bow Street' and depicts a young woman standing on a stool, displaying her legs and buttocks to a group of three men representing the Bow Street Justices, Sir Sampson Wright, William Addington and John Bond. Above them are the evenly balanced scales of Justice. She gestures towards Charles James Fox who stands in a recess in front of her with his hands cuffed to a bar, wearing a woeful expression on his face. The print probably relates to a young woman who gave evidence against the criminal known as 'The Monster' at Bow Street, 7th May, 1790. Lettered with title and original publisher's name and address.
The second print on the same page is entitled 'Swearing to the Cutting Monster or A Scene in Bow Street' and depicts a young woman standing on a stool, displaying her legs and buttocks to a group of three men representing the Bow Street Justices, Sir Sampson Wright, William Addington and John Bond. Above them are the evenly balanced scales of Justice. She gestures towards Charles James Fox who stands in a recess in front of her with his hands cuffed to a bar, wearing a woeful expression on his face. The print probably relates to a young woman who gave evidence against the criminal known as 'The Monster' at Bow Street, 7th May, 1790. Lettered with title and original publisher's name and address.
Object details
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Object type | |
Titles |
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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 15 and 16 respectively, number 15 depicts an ogre holding a large knife and fork in each hand. He also holds the petticoat of a young woman who he is lifting off the floor so she dangles horizontally in front of his ghoulish, open mouth. She is exposed from the waist down and stretches her hands out in fear towards two other women who are running away in fright. Lettered with title and the original publisher's name, date, and address. The second print on the same page is entitled 'Swearing to the Cutting Monster or A Scene in Bow Street' and depicts a young woman standing on a stool, displaying her legs and buttocks to a group of three men representing the Bow Street Justices, Sir Sampson Wright, William Addington and John Bond. Above them are the evenly balanced scales of Justice. She gestures towards Charles James Fox who stands in a recess in front of her with his hands cuffed to a bar, wearing a woeful expression on his face. The print probably relates to a young woman who gave evidence against the criminal known as 'The Monster' at Bow Street, 7th May, 1790. Lettered with title and original publisher's name and address. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Credit line | Gift from the Ministry of Justice |
Object history | In the late 1780s, bills were posted in London warning people about a man termed 'The Monster' who had been assaulting women and slashing their clothes. The posters advertised a reward for his apprehension. In December 1790, a man named Renwick Williams was convicted for the crimes. Gillray depicted this figure more than once, and his story was also drawn by illustrators Kingsbury, Dent, I. Cruikshank, and J. N. Nixon among others. |
Subjects depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.685:10-2014 |
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Record created | October 23, 2014 |
Record URL |
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