An English hobby horse, or, Who pays the piper? [graphic].

Published/Created:

[London]
Pubd. May 11, 1791, by Willm Holland, No. 50 Oxford Street
[1791]

Copyright Date:

[1791]

Physical Description:

1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 27 x 40 cm

Related Links:

Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6, no. 7857

Notes:

Sheet trimmed within plate mark resulting in loss of title, imprint and publisher's advertisement. Title and publication information from George.
Attributed by George to H.W., i.e., either Henry Wigstead or William Holland.
Temporary local subject terms: Allusion to Russian Armament -- Bulls -- Crowns -- Scepters -- Walking staves -- Musicians: pipers -- Musical instruments: pipes -- Smoking pipes -- Holland.
Old Print Shop ; June 1962 ; Acquisitions no.: 962-6-1-10.

Abstract:

"A bull (John Bull) in profile to the right sinks, snorting with distress, under the weight of five persons. The foremost, astride the animal s neck, is the Emperor Leopold; he holds the legs of Catherine II, a stout virago, who sits on his shoulders, brandishing her orb and sceptre. She says, "Where's all your boasting now my old Bull! by St George I knew I could bring you upon your knees! ay, and before I have done riding you I'll make you knock under." Behind Leopold sits George III, saying, "Don't mind, don't mind, don't mind [a parody of the King's manner of conversation], he'll soon recover, It's all sham, his stumbling". Frederick William of Prussia sits behind George III, wearing regimentals with jack-boots. Behind him sits a fat Dutchman (Holland) smoking a pipe. Behind, and on the left, is a group of three persons on a smaller scale. Pitt, in profile to the left, seizes by the collar a lean and ragged British citizen (John Bull), saying, "No grumbling, you rascal! You must pay the Piper to be sure. What the devil, surely you couldn't expect the great folks that represent you to contribute a shilling! Besides you are a damn'd saucy fellow, master Bull, and you must be tam'd." Bull answers, "Tam'd: why, good God, Sir, I have scarcely a morsel of bread to eat, and even the Small Beer is Tax'd above my purchase!" On the extreme left a lean man kneels, blowing a trumpet and looking up at Pitt; he is perhaps an ironical representation of Fame."--British Museum online catalogue.

Variant Titles:

Who pays the piper

Associated Names:

Holland, William, active 1782-1817 [Publisher]
Wigstead, Henry [Printmaker]

Topics:

Catherine II, Empress of Russia, 1729-1796
Frederick William II, King of Prussia, 1744-1797
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820
Great Britain -- Pol
John Bull (Symbolic character)
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, 1747-1792
Pitt, William, 1759-1806

Language:

English

Genre:

Etchings -- England -- London -- 1791
Satires (Visual works) -- England -- 1791

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

Call Number:

791.05.11.01+

Orbis Record:

7771216

Yale Collection:

Lewis Walpole Library

Digital Collection:

Lewis Walpole Library

Local Record Number:

lwlpr07157

Volume/Enumeration:

Digital version

OID:

10732578

PID:

digcoll:550192