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.

Vox populi, vox Dei : dedicated to the ladies who so conspicuously exerted themselves in the cause of freedom.

Image not available
Isaac Cruikshank
1756?-1811?

Vox populi, vox Dei : dedicated to the ladies who so conspicuously exerted themselves in the cause of freedom.

Published

[London] : Pubd. 23d May, 1784, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand, [1784]

etching
image: 222 x 335 mm; sheet: 246 x 347 mm
Peel 2471
Notes
Printmaker from British Museum online catalog.
Following caption title: Dedicated to the Ladies who so conspicuously exerted themselves in the Cause of Freedom.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

Fox stands, full-face, smiling; he holds a stout staff of liberty surmounted by a Phrygian cap. His left hand, holding a laurel branch, rests on his hip. On his left stands the Duchess of Devonshire (right), turning her head in profile to the right and holding out on her left arm a 'Shield of Virtue', against the arrows of 'Malice' and 'Envy'; other arrows fall to the ground, broken by their impact with the shield, inscribed 'Woman Hater' and 'Morning Post'. In her hat are the usual fox's brush and ostrich plumes. A star-shaped halo is lightly sketched behind her head. Sir Cecil Wray (left) walks off in profile to the left, bending beneath a heavy burden and supported on his stick. The burden consists of three bundles, 'Deceit', 'Ingratitude', and 'Per[ju]ry', attached to his shoulders by a band inscribed 'Cecil W-----y'. Black clouds above his head emit forked lightning. Over his head are the words 'I acknowledge my Transgressions, and my Sins are ever before me'. Over Fox's head flies a cherub holding out a laurel wreath; he blows a trumpet directed towards the Duchess, from which issues the word 'Victory'. Cf. British Museum online catalog.

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