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James Gillray
1756-1815
Barbarities in the West Indies
Published
[London] : Pubd. by H. Humphrey, N. 18, Old Bond Street, April 23d, 1791
etching
image: 24 x 34.3 cm; plate: 24.7 x 35 cm; sheet: 27 x 38 cm
Peel 2729
Notes
The print depicts an infamous incident described during William Wilberforce's motion for the abolition of the slave trade in 1791.
Printed below title: Mr Frances [sic] relates "Among numberless other acts of cruelty daily practised, an English Negro Driver, because a young Negro thro sickness was unable to "work, threw him into a copper of Boiling-Sugar-juice, & after keeping him, steeped over head & Ears for above Three Quarters of an hour in the boiling liquid, whipt him with such severity, that it was near Six Months before he recover'd of his Wounds & Scalding"------Vide Mr Frances Speech, corroborated by Mr Fox, Mr Wilberforce &c &c.
Printed below title: Mr Frances [sic] relates "Among numberless other acts of cruelty daily practised, an English Negro Driver, because a young Negro thro sickness was unable to "work, threw him into a copper of Boiling-Sugar-juice, & after keeping him, steeped over head & Ears for above Three Quarters of an hour in the boiling liquid, whipt him with such severity, that it was near Six Months before he recover'd of his Wounds & Scalding"------Vide Mr Frances Speech, corroborated by Mr Fox, Mr Wilberforce &c &c.
Provenance
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Summary
From a cylindrical stone vat filled with steaming liquid protrude the legs and arms of an African slave, who is being held under the surface by a fierce-looking overseer with the handle of a scourge. The overseer stands on a ladder (right), saying, "B-t your black Eyes! what you can't work because you're not well? - but I'll give you a warm bath, to cure your Ague, & a Curry-combing afterwards to put Spunk into you." On the wall above his head are nailed up, in a row with a bird, a fox, and ferrets (vermin), a black arm and two ears. Through a doorway (right) palm-trees are suggested.
Associated names
Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Peel, Robert, Sir, 1788-1850, former owner.
Peel, Robert, Sir, 1788-1850, former owner.
Artist
Classification
Department
Century prints
Catalog link