| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | [T. Marks] |
| Published | [Publish'd as the Act directs by T. Marks on the pav'd Stones St. Martins Lane] Price 1s. 0d. [c.1770] |
| Dimensions | Image 345 x 260 mm, Plate 350 x 270 mm, Sheet 415 x 300 mm |
| Notes |
An unusual satire of the political situation of Great Britain at the close of 1769, presented in the form of a costume purportedly worn at a Masquerade in Lincoln held on the 21st of December. An advertisement published about the print in 'The Public Advertiser' on the 27th of January 1770, identifies the figure as one 'Capt. W__s' though this may well be a conceit by the printmaker, himself the unidentified and possibly pseudonymous 'T. Marks,' who gives his address, comedically and improbably, as 'on the pav'd Stones' of St Martin's Lane. The current example lacks the imprimatur of the British Museum example, while another impression in the Library of Congress attributes it to the publisher William Holland (fl.1782-1817). Whether the print is representative of a real costume or not is irrelevant to the satire's ingenious presentation of the political events of the day. The figure, full length, is split down the middle, with one half representing the Court Party of the Earl of Bute, and the other half the Opposition, most closely personified by John Wilkes and his supporters. Wilkes, a radical, had been ejected from Parliament thrice between February and April 1769 and much of the year's politics had revolved around his increasing antagonism towards Bute. Consequently, the figure's right side bears the features of Bute, the left side the boss-eye of Wilkes. The rest of the figure's costume is likewise divided in two. His stockings show the right side to be 'A supporter of the Crown' and his left 'A Supporter of the Constitution.' The former position is one of 'Passive Obedience, Non-Resistance' while the latter demands 'No General Warrants, No American Stamp Act.' The upturned brim of his hat bears a pair of inscriptions: 'Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense' and 'I Am the Times.' Above the brim, a pair of riders call out 'Devil take the hindmost' before a label of Divorces, clearly recalling the high profile divorces of the Duke of Grafton, Viscount Bolingbroke, and Lord Grosvenor. Above this, a liberty cap is impaled by a weathervane with a flag reading 'Fixt as Fate.' The figure's torso shows 'Crown Law' as spilling coin and 'Club Law' as a physical bludgeon beating George Clarke, who was killed in the riots of the Brentford election a year previous. The electoral figures on the man's arms refer to Luttrell's success over Wilkes in the Middlesex election, despite the latter's considerable popular support. The figure's waistcoat also contains coded references to Bute and Wilkes. On the right, the plaid pattern stands for Bute's perceived Jacobite sympathies, while the large 45 on the left refers to Wilkes' most notorious issue of his New Briton pamphlet, for which he and forty eight others were arrested on a charge of seditious libel under a general warrant issued on the orders of King George III. His supporters turned the name of the edition into a popular chant, supporting Wilkes with shouts of 'Wilkes, Liberty, and Number 45.' From the skirt pockets of the costume unroll the various bills, orders, petitions, and manifestos of the two sides, while the figure's left hand clasps the 'Magna Charta.' A pair of unrolled scrolls, one on each side, provide a list of decorations of the character's back, as well as a key to the colourist for the presentation of each half of the figure. BM Satires 4315. Condition: Old adhesive staining to margins from old mount, with associated tears and chips not affecting image. Uniform time toning to sheet. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £975.00 |
| Stock ID | 52308 |