File:Plum pudding Billy in all his glory (BM J,2.118).jpg

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Summary

Plum pudding Billy in all his glory   (Wikidata search (Cirrus search) Wikidata query (SPARQL)  Create new Wikidata item based on this file)
Artist

After: William Dent (?)

Published by: J Notice
Title
Plum pudding Billy in all his glory
Description
English: Pitt, at a City feast, is waited on by members of the Corporation. He sits in a chair looking towards Sir Watkin Lewes (left), who kneels at his feet in profile to the right holding up a plum-pudding in which is stuck a large leek, emblem of Wales. Pitt is very youthful, on the back of his chair are the letters 'WP'. behind him (right) Wilkes advances holding a chamber-pot; he appears very old and toothless. Behind is a crowd of spectators, shaded to form a background, none being conspicuous. The heads are much caricatured, their mouths wide open. Beneath the design is etched:



'The Chancillor Billy behold here is seated
To tast a plum-pudding by Sir Watty Intreated,
He sticks on a leake, more his fancy to please,
And in hope of preferment is down on his knees.

Squinting J------k [Jack] as the C------n [Chamberlain] comes in behind
Supposing he may want to s------te when he's dine'd,
He holds the utencil & thinks no disgrace -
Lord! how folks are worship'd in power and place.' 27 March 1784


Hand-coloured etching
Depicted people Associated with: Sir Watkin Lewes
Date 1784
date QS:P571,+1784-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Medium paper
Dimensions
Height: 226 millimetres
Width: 279 millimetres
institution QS:P195,Q6373
Current location
Prints and Drawings
Accession number
J,2.118
Notes

(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VI, 1938) Pitt was entertained three times in the City before the dissolution of Parliament, the famous occasion being on 28 Feb., when Lewes and Wilkes took a prominent part in his reception, see BMSat 6442. On 13 Mar. he dined at Goldsmiths' Hall and on 20 Mar. at the London Tavern. Cf. also BMSat 6538. For 'Plum Pudding Billy' cf. BMSat 6813.

There is some confusion as to the monogram on the back of the chair. It may be "WP" as in William Pitt, or it could be the monogram "WD" for William Dent, the satirist. The hand, however, is not his, and if the latter it must be after his design.
Source/Photographer https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_J-2-118
Permission
(Reusing this file)
© The Trustees of the British Museum, released as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Public domain

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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current20:51, 12 May 2020Thumbnail for version as of 20:51, 12 May 20201,600 × 1,365 (779 KB)CopyfraudBritish Museum public domain uploads (Copyfraud/BM) Satirical prints in the British Museum 1784 #6,182/12,043

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