James Gillray
1756-1815
"The Rights of Man: or Tommy Paine, the little American taylor taking the measure of the Crown, for a new pair of revolution-breeches. / Humbly dedicated to the Jacobine Clubs of France & England!!! by Common Sense ...
[London] : Pub. by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street, May 24th 1791.
hand colored etching
image: 350 x 240 mm; plate: 353 x 250 mm; sheet: 370 x 264 mm
Peel 2733
Notes
Day of publication has been altered in ink to "23" so that date reads "Pubd May 23th 1791 ..."
Provenance
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Summary
A grotesquely caricatured, thin and ragged Tom Paine, dressed as a tailor with huge scissors hanging from his pants, kneels before a gigantic crown; he uses a tape measure to determine its dimensions. He wears a French-style hat with a cockade inscribed "vive la liberty". He ruminates on his task, a satire on the first part of his Rights of man
Associated names
Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Artist
Classification
Department
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