Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Presentation of the Mahometan credentials, or, The final resource of French atheists / Js. Gy. desn. et fect.

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James Gillray
1756-1815

Presentation of the Mahometan credentials, or, The final resource of French atheists / Js. Gy. desn. et fect.

Published

[London] : H. Humphrey, 1793.

engraving
image: 30.8 x 35.6 cm; sheet: 30.8 x 36.4 cm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2832
Notes
Trimmed to within plate mark.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

The King and Queen, seated on the throne (left), receive with astonished horror a deputation from Turkey. A Turk stands proffering a large rolled document with pendent seals on which are crescents: 'Powers for a new Connexion between the Port, England & France'. Beside him (left) another Turk grovels on the ground. Fox and Sheridan, kneeling with crouching humility, hold up the long cloak of the Turkish emissary; their bonnets-rouges are decorated with crescents. Behind them Priestley bows low (right). Turks with spears and banners stand behind him. To a spear topped with a crescent is attached a tricolour flag inscribed 'Vive la Republique'. Pitt, a naked mannikin, one foot on the royal dais, clutches the King's knee in terror: a chain from his wrist is attached to a royal crown lying on the ground. Behind him, and beside the throne, stands Dundas in Highland dress, tall and impassive, holding a pike. The King and Queen are much caricatured: the King stares, biting his fingers and clutching the Queen; she puts her fan before her face but looks through its sticks at the Turks. The three elder princesses (not caricatured) peep from behind the throne on the extreme left.

Associated names
Gillray, James, 1756-1815, engraver.
Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department
Century prints