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.

A puerile attack on an old servant / JS f.

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James Sayers
1748-1823

A puerile attack on an old servant / JS f.

Published

[London] : Published by Thos. Cornell, Bruton Strt, 17th March 1787.

aquatint & etching on wove paper
image: 253 x 212 mm; plate mark: 266 x 216 mm; sheet: 295 x 235 mm
Peel 3321
Notes
Title etched below image.
Inscriptions/Markings
In pencil at foot: Sir Ja Erskine.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

Print shows Sir James Erskine dressed as a little girl but wearing a man's wig, bending forward in profile to the left to thrash a mastiff (Hastings) who lies (left) surrounded by a wreath of thorns, his collar inscribed 'Keeper of Ind[ia]'. He holds in his left hand a paper inscribed 'Speec[h] for Thur[sday] Monopoly of Opium'. On the lash of Erskine's whip is a judge's wig inscribed 'Defence of Lord Clive'; its handle is decorated with bells. Burke's head and right arm project into the upper right corner of the design; he holds leading-strings attached to Erskine's shoulders. Below him and immediately behind Erskine are the head and shoulders of Francis, who leans forward, clapping his hands. Above Hastings a rectangular block inscribed 'Impeachment' hangs by a thread. Beside him are three stones, which have been thrown at him, inscribed respectively 'Malice', 'Eloquence', and 'Calumny'. Cf. George.

Associated names
Cornell, Thos., active 1780-1792, publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Artist
Classification
Department