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.

The National Assembly petrified. The National Assembly revivified

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James Gillray
1756-1815

The National Assembly petrified. The National Assembly revivified

Published

[London] : Pubd. June 28th, 1791, by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly, [28 June 1791]

hand colored etching
first image: 206 x 290 mm; plate: 214 x 300 mm; sheet: 227 x 312 mm; second image: 200 x 285 mm; plate: 200 x 298 mm; sheet: 210 x 311 mm
Peel 2734-35
Notes
Title from text in image.
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.
LIbrary's copy has been cut in half, separating the two panels.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

A design in two compartments, one above the other, the figures in both being three quarter length. [1] A ragged French barber, in profile to the right, gesticulating and capering, says to six terror-stricken companions: "O sacre dieu! de King is escape! de King is escape". The foremost listener is a tailor, his shears stuck through the string of his apron, a measuring-tape round his shoulders, but wearing a cocked hat and sword. On the extreme left is a diminutive postboy. All are much caricatured with expressions denoting dismay. The barber wears a bag-wig, with a comb stuck in his hair; the others wear tricolour cockades in their hats. [2] Another group of ruffians listen with delight to a cook (left) who says, taking a pinch of snuff, and capering, "Aha! be gar, de King is retaken! Aha! Monsr Lewis is retaken! Aha!" In his cap is a tricolour cockade inscribed 'Liberty'; he wears over-sleeves, a spoon and fork are stuck through his apron-string, a string of frogs hangs from his belt. His most prominent listener is a shoe-black with a grotesquely wide grin, who stands, shoe in one hand, brush in the other.

Associated names
Fores, S. W., publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department