Show Notes: s2e35 James Gillray

In this History of Prints episode, Tru and Ann look at the considerable output of British satirist James Gillray (1756–1857). Younger than William Hogarth by nearly sixty years, Gillray took Hogarth’s social commentary, its energy, and caustic approach, and turned his keen eye to skewer politicians and kings, laugh at Napoleon and his empire building, point out the absurdity of the fear of vaccines, and the make clear the debauchery of public executions. In fact, he’s now called the father of the political cartoon. With scary parallels to current events, Gillray’s acerbic eye nails it every time.  

You can listen to Platemark or watch a video version. Links to all the possibilities are on the episode page at www.platemarkpodcast.com. While you're there, sign up for our newsletter-emails, which alert you to new episodes and occasional other stuff. And, do me a favor and leave us a review. It really helps people find the pod.

Episode image: James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Fashionable Contrasts; -or- the duchess’s little shoe yielding to the magnitude of the duke’s foot, 1792. Etching with hand coloring. 255 x 355 mm. British Museum, London.

Charles Turner (British, 1774–1857). James Gillray, 1819. Mezzotint with hand coloring. 598 x 445 mm (23 ½ x 17 ½ in.). Yale Center for British Art, New Haven.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Very Slippy Weather, 1808. Etching and engraving with hand coloring. 279 x 207 mm. (11 x 8 1/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Tiddy-doll the Great French Gingerbread Baker Drawing Out a New Batch of Kings, 1806. Etching with hand coloring. Sheet: 254 x 371 mm. (10 x 14 5/8 in.). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Whore’s last shift, 1779. Etching with hand coloring. 332 x 423 mm. British Museum, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Sandwich-Carrots!-Dainty Sandwich-Carrots, 1796. Etching with hand coloring. Sheet: 394 x 293 mm. (15 9/16 x 11 9/16.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

Attributed to James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The American Rattle Snake, 1782. Etching. Sheet: 239 x 328 mm. (9 7/16 x 12 15/16 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Fashionable Contrasts; -or- the duchess’s little shoe yielding to the magnitude of the duke’s foot, 1792. Etching with hand coloring. 255 x 355 mm. British Museum, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Zenith of French Glory; – The Pinnacle of Liberty. Religion, Justice, Loyalty, & all the Bugbears of Unenlightened Minds, Farewell!, 1793. Etching and engraving. 495 x 333 mm. (19 ½ x 13 1/8 in.). Princeton University Library, Princeton.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Zenith of French Glory; – The Pinnacle of Liberty. Religion, Justice, Loyalty, & all the Bugbears of Unenlightened Minds, Farewell!, 1793. Etching and engraving with hand coloring. 495 x 333 mm. (19 ½ x 13 1/8 in.). British Museum, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Blood of the murdered crying for vengeance, 1793. Etching and engraving with hand coloring. 348 x 257 mm. British Museum, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Following the fashion, 1794. Etching and softground etching with hand coloring. 328 x 356 mm. (12 7/8 x 14 in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). National conveniences, 1796. Etching with hand coloring. 357 x 247 mm. (14 x 9 ¾ in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Tree of Liberty, 1797. Etching with hand coloring. 327 x 237 mm. (12 7/8 x 9 15/16 in.). Yale Center for British Art, New Haven.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Midas, Transmuting All into Paper, 1797. Etching with hand coloring. 408 x 290 mm. (16 1/16 x 11 7/16 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879). Gargantua, from the journal La Caricature, 1831. Lithograph. 235 x 306 mm. (9 1/4 x 12 1/16 in.). Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Titanus Redivivus, 1797. Etching, engraving, and aquatint with hand coloring. 548 x 420 mm. (21 9/16 x 16 9/16 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Gout, 1799. Softground etching with hand coloring. 265 x 357 mm. (10 7/16 x 14 1/16 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Cow-Pock -or- The Wonderful Effects of the New Innoculation!, 1802. Etching with hand coloring. 270 x 387 mm. (10 11/16 x 15 ¼ in.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Hand-writing upon the wall, 1803. Etching and aquatint with hand coloring. 272 x 378 mm. (10 ¾ x 14 7/8 in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). L’Assemblée Nationale, 1804. Etching with hand coloring. 337 x 463 mm. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Monstrous Craws at a New Coalition Feast, 1787. Etching and aquatint. 372 x 469 mm (14 5/8 x 18 7/16 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). Uncorking Old Sherry, 1805. Etching with hand coloring. 391 x 292 mm. (15 3/8 x 11 ½ in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Death of the Great Wolf, 1795. Etching and engraving with hand coloring. 326 x 444 mm. (12 7/8 x 17 ½ in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Spanish Bull Fight -or- the Corsican matador in danger, 1808. Etching with hand coloring. 255 x 356 mm. (10 x 14 in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.

Francisco de Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828). Dreadful events in the front rows of the ring at Madrid and death of the mayor of Torrejon, 1816. Etching, burnished aquatint, lavis, drypoint, and burin. 308 x 438 mm. (12 1/8 x 17 ¼ in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). A Great Stream from a Petty Fountain; or John Bull swamped in a Flood of Taxes, 1806. Etching with hand coloring. 265 x 397 mm. (10 7/16 x 15 5/8 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Gillray (British, 1756–1815). The Plumb-pudding in danger: -or- state epicures taking un petit souper, 1805. Etching with hand coloring. 261 x 362 mm. (10 ¼ x 14 ¼ in.). National Portrait Gallery, London.