The Corsican Munchausen-humming the lads of Paris.

Thomas Rowlandson

The Corsican Munchausen-humming the lads of Paris.

London, Ackerman December v4th. 1813.

Etching

Original hand colouring

260 x 350 mm

Trimmed within platemark

£580.

A  very complex design based on Gillray’s ‘Maniac Ravings’. Napoleon, scarcely caricatured, but poorly characterized, stands addressing an audience of seated men who listen with varying expressions, the corner of his platform projecting into a sea of heads (left), while on the right a file of soldiers with fixed bayonets or drawn swords is indicated. At his side, the little King of Rome, in officer’s uniform, with a plumed bicorne, gapes down at the audience; his over-long sabre trails on the ground, he bestrides a tall military cane; his profile resembles without repeating (as in other prints) that of his father, but remains childish and blank. Napoleon stands in a commanding attitude with his right arm extended, his left hand on the hilt of his sabre, legs apart. He wears military dress with a plumed bicorne in which a tricolour cockade is unusually conspicuous. Behind him (right) his arm-chair, closely copied from the ‘Consular Chair’ of No. 9998 and with a similar Medusa head, falls, all its legs in air. Beside it, a damaged terrestrial globe, as in No. 9998, has fallen, but is directed to the left instead of to the right; it has the inscriptions ‘America’ and ‘Atlantic Ocean’. As before, Napoleon’s words radiate from his head as if inscribed on clouds. On the right, reading downward: ‘Did I not swear I would destroy Austria? Did I not swear I would destroy Prussia Did I not leave the Russians 1200 pieces of cannon to build a monument of the victory of Moscow Did I not lead 498,000 men to gather fresh Laurels in Russia—Did I not burn Moscow—and leave 400,000 brave soldiers to perish in the snow for the good of the French nation?’ On the left: ‘Did I not swear I would destroy Sweden Did I not swear “I would have” Colonies & Commerce [see No. 10439, &c.] Did I not build more ships than you could find Sailors for” Did I not burn all the British produce bought and paid for by my faithful merchants—before their faces, for the good of them and my good people of Paris? Have I not called my troops from Holland—that they might not winter in that foggy climate? [see No. 12102, &c.] Have I not called my troops from Spain and Portugal to the ruin of the English? Did I not change my religion and turn Turk, for the good of the French Nation [see No. 9973, &c.]. Have I not blown up [the earliest instance in the ‘O.E.D.’ of blow up, meaning to scold, is Lytton’s ‘Pelham’, 1827] the Corporal, for blowing up the Bridge [see No. 12108] Have I not robbed the Churches of twenty flags to send to my Empress, for the loss of my own flags & Eagles? And now for the good of my Empire, Behold! O ye Lads of Paris! I have put the King of Rome in Breeches!!!’