Russian Condescension or the Blessing of Universal Peace.

George Cruikshank

Russian Condescension or the Blessing of Universal Peace.

London, S W Fores, July 11^th 1814

Etching

Original hand colouring

250 x 350 mm

Trimmed to decorative border.

£240

The Tsar and his sister walking arm-in-arm are stopped by a coarse-looking woman (right) who flings her arms round his neck and kisses him avidly, while a yokel (left) takes the hand of the Grand Duchess. The woman exclaims to a fat friend (right), who watches with a broad grin: “There Sal, I can boast of what none of the Bitches of Billinsgate can, having kissed the Kings Emperor of all the Russian Bears, & he is the sweetest modestest mildest Gentleman I ever Kissed in all my life.” The countryman wears a short smock with breeches and wrinkled gaiters, and has the coarse carbuncled features of a John Bull in these prints. He says, grinning: “Dang it when I goes back & tells The folks in our Village of this, Law how they will envy I, ha ha!” The Tsar and his sister smile amiably. Behind (left), another woman runs after a bearded Cossack eager to kiss him. There is a landscape background, probably indicating Hyde Park