James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates

Print
1796-7 (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 27 and 28 respectively, number 27 depicts a design in an octagan, enclosed within a square. Inside are four headless female figures, placed a right angles around the words 'Thunder, Lightening, Wind, Rain'. In place of heads, the figures are topped with a bunch of grapes, a bunch of primroses, a chimney pot, and a rose bush. Lettered with title, captions, and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'Ladies Dress, as it soon will be' and depicts a female figure in a fairly classical tunic but with an extremely revealing neckline and a slit running from the ankle to the waist, revealing one side of her buttock. Her hair is bound with a ribbon and is decorated with three ostrich feathers positioned at the front of her head. She is standing in profile before a panelled wall with a candle-sconce and one side of a large mirror. Lettered with title and original publisher's name and address.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates (popular title)
  • Nature Display'd, shewing the effect of the change of the seasons on the ladies garden (assigned by artist)
  • Ladies dress, as it soon will be (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Engravings 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 27 and 28 respectively, number 27 depicts a design in an octagan, enclosed within a square. Inside are four headless female figures, placed a right angles around the words 'Thunder, Lightening, Wind, Rain'. In place of heads, the figures are topped with a bunch of grapes, a bunch of primroses, a chimney pot, and a rose bush. Lettered with title, captions, and the original publisher's name, date, and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'Ladies Dress, as it soon will be' and depicts a female figure in a fairly classical tunic but with an extremely revealing neckline and a slit running from the ankle to the waist, revealing one side of her buttock. Her hair is bound with a ribbon and is decorated with three ostrich feathers positioned at the front of her head. She is standing in profile before a panelled wall with a candle-sconce and one side of a large mirror. Lettered with title and original publisher's name and address.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Sheet width: 48.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Pubd. May 22nd, 1797, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street (Lettered underneath plate 27)
  • Pubd. Jany 20th 1796 by H Humphrey, New Bond Street (Lettered underneath plate 28)
Credit line
Gift from the Ministry of Justice
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
Collection
Accession number
E.685:16-2014

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Record createdOctober 27, 2014
Record URL
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