Blucher the Brave Extracting the Groan of Abdication from the Corsican Blood Hound.

Thomas Rowlandson

Blucher the Brave Extracting the Groan of Abdication from the Corsican Blood Hound.

London, T. Tegg April 9th 1814

Etching

Original hand-colouring

250 x 350 mm

£380

The elderly, fierce figure of Marshal Prince von Blucher stands on the sea

shore, grasping a dog with the head of Napoleon by the scruff of its neck.

Napoleon wears his ‘petit tricorne’ hat and a pair of gauntlets, his uniform

lies in a crumpled heap at Blucher’s feet, along with his crown, sceptre,

sword and eagle. On the right an ecstatic cheering crowd welcomes Louis

XVIII, with Talleyrand wearing his surgical boot and proffering a List of

Ministers, bowing and scraping before him. On the left a terrified officer

runs towards a small boat waiting to carry Napoleon to the Island of Elba

visible on the horizon. News that Napoleon had agreed to abdicate and retire to Elba had reached London on April 9th (Rowlandson obviously rushed out this satire very quickly).  BM 12216.