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.

A block for the wigs, or, The new state whirligig

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James Gillray
1756-1815

A block for the wigs, or, The new state whirligig

Published

[London] : Pubd May 5th, 1783, by W. Humphrey No 227 Strand, [1783]

etching, hand colored
image: 227 x 332 mm; sheet: 247 x 344 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2454
Notes
Printmaker from BM Satires.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

The new ministry is depicted on a large carousel, erected in front of the "Crown and Royal Bob" Inn. The structure is supported by a center pole held in place by pegs labelled "Treasury," "Navy" and "Army" terminating at the top with the head of the King in the form of a wig block. Fox, with a fox's head and tail, leads the procession, holding a bag of money. Behind him, Lord North on a horse with its legs cut short, loses his wig; Burke in Jesuit's habit and on a similarly lame horse, has partially turned into a skeleton due to his economical reform; Admiral Keppel behind him is desperate to remain seated on his donkey. Lastly a Scotsman labelled "President" signifies Scottish influence over the Crown. Watching from a seat before the Inn, a complacent John Bull mouths slogans of liberty, unaware that his house is being plundered behind him.

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