The Abyssenian monster, or, The invisible being drawn from his den [graphic].
- Copyright Date:
- [December 1820]
- Physical Description:
- 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 25.7 x 34 cm
- Notes:
- CtY-LW
Date of publication from The National Archives' online catalogue, reference: TS 11/115/326/74.
For a brief mention of this print, see: Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 10, page li.
Four lines of text below image, beginning: It having long been a desideratum with men of research to discover the souce of the Nile, we have much pleasure laying it before them ...
Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Text at bottom of image: May the prow of innocence ever cut the foul waves of malice. J. Bull Esqr.
Title etched at top of image. - Abstract:
- George IV is shown as a grotesque sea monster, for which the following description is given below image: "He is of immence size, his head and face bear the appearance of a man, he has the neck of a bull, the body of a huge sea hog, the legs of an elephant, and the tail of a porpoise." The beast lies helpless on the shore facing right, emitting a plume from his mouth containing the words "debauchery", "trifling", "vice", "folly", etc. Queen Caroline's defense lawyers reign in the animal, Brougham on the left wielding a broom and Denman on the right holding a chain attached to the beast's collar. Broom exclaims: "At length I see thee! They death warrant's signed." Below him is written "The mighty Broom of Destruction", and a bundle labeled "more broom sticks" sits beside him. Denman stands at the mouth of a cave marked "A DEN", holding a club labeled "The Queens cause" and saying: "That blow from Broom will end thee." Below him is written "The intrepid Den-Man". Frogs, salamandars, snails, and other aquatic creatures enter the water at the feet of both men. Offshore a vessel, with the figurehead of Queen Caroline and flying a banner bearing her name, shoots and injures the monster, streams of blood with words such as "corruption", "bribery", and "perjury & ingratitude" flowing out of the wounds. In the water on either side of the ship, figures thrash about as they try to escape the scene. One in the group of men (politicians?) on the left says "Non mi Ricordo" as he struggles to stay afloat. Among the three men and one woman on the right is the Duke of Wellington, a member of the clergy, and another lawyer.
- Variant Titles:
- Abyssinian monster, or, The invisible being drawn from his den
Invisible being drawn from his den - Topics:
- Brooms.
Caves.
Clergy.
Frogs.
John Bull (Symbolic character)
Lawyers.
Politicians--England.
Sea monsters.
Ships. - Topics:
- Brougham and Vaux, Henry Brougham,--Baron,--1778-1868--Caricatures and cartoons.
Caroline,--Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain,--1768-1821--Trials, litigation, etc.
Denman, Thomas Denman,--Baron,--1779-1854--Caricatures and cartoons.
George--IV,--King of Great Britain,--1762-1830--Caricatures and cartoons.
Humphrey, G.--(George),--1773-1831?--Ownership.
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley,--Duke of,--1769-1852--Caricatures and cartoons. - Language:
- English
- Genre:
- Etchings--England--London--1820.
Satires (Visual works)--England--1820. - Format:
- Image
- Content Type:
- Prints & Photographs
- Rights:
- These images are provided for study purposes only. For publication or other use of images from the Library's collection, please contact the Lewis Walpole Library at walpole@yale.edu. Further details on the Library's photoduplication policy are available at http://www.library.yale.edu/walpole/html/research/rights_reproductions.html
- Source Title:
- George Humphrey shop album.
- Call Number:
- Folio 75 H89 821 (Oversize)
- Orbis Record:
- 13854215
- Yale Collection:
- Lewis Walpole Library
- Digital Collection:
- Lewis Walpole Library
- Local Record Number:
- lwlpr35158
- OID:
- 16816952
- PID:
- digcoll:4771954
