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

James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates

Print
1805 (first published), ca. 1850 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

One large plate from an album containing 45 numbered prints on wove paper, the majority printed two per page, recto only. Numbered 37, it depicts Paul François Jean Nicolas, Vicomte de Barras, being entertained by Madame Talian and the Empress Josephine who dance naked behind a transparent curtain. Barras is depicted as grossly overweight, leering at the women gleefully and spilling wine on his waistcoat. His chair is decorated with a carving of the infant Bacchus, and is fringed around the base, which is littered with empty wine bottles. Napoleon stands on the right, peeping through one side of the curtain with wide-eyes and a severe expression, holding his cocked hat behind his back.
Lettered with titles, artist's name, caption, and the original publisher's name and address.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates (popular title)
  • Ci-Devant Occupations - or- Madame Talian and the Empress Josephine dancing naked before Barrass (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Engraving on wove paper
Brief description
One plate 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
One large plate from an album containing 45 numbered prints on wove paper, the majority printed two per page, recto only. Numbered 37, it depicts Paul François Jean Nicolas, Vicomte de Barras, being entertained by Madame Talian and the Empress Josephine who dance naked behind a transparent curtain. Barras is depicted as grossly overweight, leering at the women gleefully and spilling wine on his waistcoat. His chair is decorated with a carving of the infant Bacchus, and is fringed around the base, which is littered with empty wine bottles. Napoleon stands on the right, peeping through one side of the curtain with wide-eyes and a severe expression, holding his cocked hat behind his back.
Lettered with titles, artist's name, caption, and the original publisher's name and address.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Sheet width: 48.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
Pubd Feby 20th 1805 by H Humphrey, St James's Street London (Lettered above the plate on the right)
Credit line
Gift from the Ministry of Justice
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
E.685:21-2014

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Record createdOctober 27, 2014
Record URL
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