Secret Influence or a Peep Behind the Screen
Satirical Etching
1810 (published)
1810 (published)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The subject of this print is King George III being presented with a report of a military expedition by one of his ministers. The screen which obscures the seated King's face has lettering on it which reads "Caricature Screen or Fun Concentrated N.B. Most to be seen on the other side." This is a play on the images represented in the prints which are stuck onto the screen and on what is actually happening behind it. The left hand leaf of the screen is turned towards us and has stuck on it four prints of fictional soldiers famous for their incompetence: Capt. Bobadil, Sir John Falstaff, Copper Captain (a nickname for a sham captain) and Hudibras.
This caricature is evidence that prints were stuck onto screens at the beginning of the nineteenth century although surviving examples of such screens are very rare.
This caricature is evidence that prints were stuck onto screens at the beginning of the nineteenth century although surviving examples of such screens are very rare.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Secret Influence or a Peep Behind the Screen (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Etching coloured by hand |
Brief description | 'Secret Influence or a Peep Behind the Screen', hand-coloured etching, Charles 'Argus' Williams, published London, 1810 |
Physical description | Satirical etching |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Bequeathed by Frank A. Gibson |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | The subject of this print is King George III being presented with a report of a military expedition by one of his ministers. The screen which obscures the seated King's face has lettering on it which reads "Caricature Screen or Fun Concentrated N.B. Most to be seen on the other side." This is a play on the images represented in the prints which are stuck onto the screen and on what is actually happening behind it. The left hand leaf of the screen is turned towards us and has stuck on it four prints of fictional soldiers famous for their incompetence: Capt. Bobadil, Sir John Falstaff, Copper Captain (a nickname for a sham captain) and Hudibras. This caricature is evidence that prints were stuck onto screens at the beginning of the nineteenth century although surviving examples of such screens are very rare. |
Bibliographic reference | Work, rest and play: Caricatures from the bequest of Frank A. Gibson |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.1134-1990 |
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Record created | June 6, 2007 |
Record URL |
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