William Heath.
Pub Feb 9th 1830 by T. McLean 26 Haymarket sole Publisher of W Heaths Etchings.
Hand-coloured etching. 250 x 350mm (9¾ x 13¾"), with wide margins.
Wellington's military success ('past') is contasted with his political instability ('present'). On the left he stands on a cloud immediately above Napoleon's tomb, with Fame blowing her trumpet and holding a wreath over his head. On the right he kneels precariously on the summit of a globe which is crushing the British people, some of whom try desperately to hold it up. It is covered, like a map, with islands or continents inscribed respectively 'Free Trade', 'National Debt', 'Currency', 'Taxes'. Dividing the two scenes, and in the upper part of the design, is a king enthroned, whose fleur-de-lis head identifies him as Charles X. Speech bubble coming from the fleur-de-lis reads 'all for me', the implication being that Napoleon's defeat served only to restore the Bourbons. This print was published only months before Charles was deposed in the July Revolution.
BM Satires: 16030.
[Ref: 39609]  £280.00