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.

Wha wants me

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Isaac Cruikshank
1756?-1811?

Wha wants me

Published

London : Pub: Decr 26 1792 by S Fores N 3 Piccadilly, [26 December 1792]

etching, hand colored
Peel 1699
Notes
Below caption title: I am Ready & Willing to offer my Services to any Nation or People under heaven who are Desirous of Liberty & Equality / Vide Paines Letter to the Convention.
Attributed to Cruikshank by George.
Imprint at head of sheet continues: ... who has again opened his Caracature [sic] Exhibition Room to which he has recently added several Hundred new & old Subjects admit 1s.
In this state of the print, Paine's head is shown in profile rather than full-face. Cf. George.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

Print shows Thomas Paine, full-length, standing, facing in profile to the left, and holding out a scroll which reads 'Rights - Common Nonsense - Equality of Property &c. &c.'; in his left hand is a dagger, and on his back is a large bundle of weapons, shackles, and instruments of torture, inscribed 'Levelling Instruments'. He smiles slyly, his face is blotched with drink. He is neatly and plainly dressed; from his button-hole hangs an exciseman's ink-bottle, inscribed 'Gall'. His head is irradiated, with words inscribed between the rays: 'Cruelty', 'Equality Madness', 'Anarchy Murder', 'Treason', 'Rebellion', 'Perjury', 'Atheism', 'Misery', 'Famine', 'National & Private Ruin', 'Ingratitude Idleness', 'Treachery', 'Injustice'. He tramples on scrolls inscribed: 'Loyalty', 'Magna Charta', 'National Prosperity', 'Religion', 'Protection Property', 'Obedience to the Laws', 'Morality', 'happiness', 'Industry', 'Personal Security', 'Inheritance', 'Justice'.

Associated names
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department