Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Print of the Day: The Plum Pudding in Danger, c. 1800



Click to enlarge.
The Plum Pudding in Danger
James Gillray
c. 1800
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Illustrated by James Gillray (1757-1815), this satirical drawing was printed around 1800. We see who I believe to be King George III and Napoleon Bonaparte seated at a dining table, carving up the earth which is portrayed as a plum pudding. The meaning is rather obvious.

The piece is really rather attractive, but, then, I like this sort of thing. It is inscribed: 


The Plumb-pudding [sic.] in danger--or--State Epicures taking un Petit Souper.
"the great Globe itself and all which it inherit" is too small to satisfy such insatiable appetites."

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