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 terrifying comet, or, Modern planetary system / executed by Uncly Toby.

Richard Newton
1777-1798

The terrifying comet, or, Modern planetary system / executed by Uncly Toby.

Published

[London] : Pub by W. Dent, July 24, 1792

etching and aquatint
plate mark: 251 x 352 mm; sheet: 255 x 357 mm
Peel 3416
Notes
Title from item.
Printmaker from the British Museum online catalog.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

A comet, whose head is a large star in which are the heads of George III and the Duke of Richmond, and whose tail issues from the latter's mouth, streams diagonally across the design from the upper left to the lower right corner. A (?) rising sun in the lower left corner contains the feathers of the Prince of Wales and is surrounded by satellites. A large star, 'Venus', close to the comet, contains the smiling profile of the Queen, gazing up at the King. Two smaller stars are above the comet's tail: 'Jupiter', containing the head of Pitt, and 'Georgium Sidus', containing the head of Burke; both look towards the King. The King looks downwards in profile to the left, from his mouth issues his 'Proclama' [-tion]; his wig is perched back to front on his bald head, giving an appearance of insanity; his neck is joined to that of Richmond. The long tail of the comet is covered by tiny figures of soldiers, artillery, and camps. Below it in the lower right corner of the design is a rectangular block inscribed 'Bagshot'. Six small stars surround the Prince of Wales, containing the heads of Fox, Sheridan, and Grey on the left, and on the right, M.A. Taylor and two others. Cf. British Museum online catalog.

Associated names
Holland, William, active 1782-1817, publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department
Century prints