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Comfort of a Bed of Roses, British Cartoon Print, James Gillray

Comfort of a Bed of Roses, British Cartoon Print, James Gillray

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Summary

Charles Fox, in bed with his wife, having a nightmare. To the right, Napoleon jumps to the bed from a cannon with the words "Pour subjugeur le Monde" inscribed on the muzzle; behind him are seen pikes and a banner with the words "Horrors of Invasion." William Pitt, as a shade, floats near the bed, admonishing Fox to awake. An eagle with the collar labeled "Prussia" looms over Fox's head. From under the bed grow thorny rose branches and Death crawls out from under the covers. A bulldog with its collar inscribed "John Bull" lunges at Napoleon.
Catalog of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8, no. 10558
Forms part of: British Cartoon Prints Collection (Library of Congress).
Exhibited: Gillray and the Art of Caricature.

It wasn't really until the 1700s that caricature truly blossomed as a form of political criticism. In the late 1750s, a man named Thomas Townshend began using the techniques employed by earlier engravers and applying them towards a political model. This gave Thompson's cartoons a much greater feeling of propaganda than previous artistic critiques of the time. The intense political climate of the period, and often accusatory nature of most political cartoons forced many artists to use pseudonyms in order to avoid accusations of libel. Other artists took it a step farther, and left their cartoons completely unsigned, foregoing any credit they may have received. Political higher-ups were notoriously touchy about their reputations and were not afraid to make examples of offenders. Puck was the first successful humor magazine in the United States of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.

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Date

01/01/1806
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Contributors

Gillray, James, 1756-1815, engraver
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Source

Library of Congress
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Copyright info

No known restrictions on publication.

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