Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Balaam, or, The majesty of the people : the Lord opened the mouth of the ass &c.

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James Gillray
1756-1815

Balaam, or, The majesty of the people : the Lord opened the mouth of the ass &c.

Published

[London] : Pub'd April 10th, 1783, by W. Humphrey No. 227 Strand, [1783]

etching, hand colored
image: 228 x 318 mm, oval; plate mark: 251 x 352 mm, sheet: 239 x 325 mm
Peel 2441
Notes
Printmaker from George.
A satire on tithes and the clergy.
Library's copy is trimmed within plate mark.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

Oval design shows a tall, thin military officer, wearing a hat, gorget, and sword, carrying on his shoulders an enormously fat parson dressed in gown and bands. The officer, who walks from left to right, his head in profile to the right, is saying, "I am an Independent Country Gentleman & Coll. of Militia". The parson, with a complacent expression, holds over his right shoulder a scourge with three lashes, one, ending in a snake's head, is inscribed "Pious Fraud", the second is "English Statutes", the third, ending in beads and a cross, is "Popish Canons". Under his left arm he holds a basket labelled "Tithes", in it are visible chickens and a sucking-pig. Behind the parson walks a dejected-looking farmer in a smock-frock, holding his hat in one hand, a branch in the other; he says, "We farmers have our Bodys Eat up, for the good of our Souls". Behind the farmer (left) are sheaves of corn, in one of which is a branch similar to that which he holds. The landscape background is mountainous. Cf. George.

Associated names
Humphrey, William, approximately 1740-approximately 1810, publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department