Not currently on display at the V&A

James Gillray : The Suppressed Plates

Print
1800-1 (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 40 and 41 respectively, number 40 depicts a group of amateur musicians made up of four elderly men gathered behind a stern younger woman, who sits at a square piano, lit by candlelight. In the background, two military officers shake hands, and a dog howls with one paw on a sheet of musical scores. Lettered with title, artist's initials, and the original publisher's name and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Man of Feeling in Search of Indispensibles' and depicts a scene at the 'Little French milleners' [sic]. A room is crowded with animated women who are seated around a table covered with scraps of material and haberdashery tools. In the centre of the foreground kneels a porcine Prince of Orange, thrusting his arms up the skirts of the two nearest women, who throw up their hands in horror. The smiling mistress of the establishment enters through a door on the right, wearing an elaborately corseted dress and feathered hat. Lettered with title, 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)
  • Playing in Parts (assigned by artist)
  • The Man of Feeling in Search of Indispensibles (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 40 and 41 respectively, number 40 depicts a group of amateur musicians made up of four elderly men gathered behind a stern younger woman, who sits at a square piano, lit by candlelight. In the background, two military officers shake hands, and a dog howls with one paw on a sheet of musical scores. Lettered with title, artist's initials, and the original publisher's name and address.

The second print on the same page is entitled 'The Man of Feeling in Search of Indispensibles' and depicts a scene at the 'Little French milleners' [sic]. A room is crowded with animated women who are seated around a table covered with scraps of material and haberdashery tools. In the centre of the foreground kneels a porcine Prince of Orange, thrusting his arms up the skirts of the two nearest women, who throw up their hands in horror. The smiling mistress of the establishment enters through a door on the right, wearing an elaborately corseted dress and feathered hat. Lettered with title, artist's name, caption, and the original publisher's name and address.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Sheet width: 48.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Publishd May 15th 1801 by H Humphrey, No. 27 St James's Street (Lettered above plate 40)
  • Pubd Feby 12th 1800 by H Humphrey, 27 St James's Street (Lettered underneath plate 41)
Credit line
Gift from the Ministry of Justice
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
E.685:23-2014

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Record createdOctober 27, 2014
Record URL
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