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Public Domain Image Archive from

Featured on PDR in the essay Little Boney: James Gillray and Napoleon’s Fragile Masculinity

Of all the caricatures of Napoleon Bonaparte, representations of the French emperor as a miniscule megalomaniac continue to haunt the historical imagination to an unparalleled degree. Peter W. Walker searches for the origins of “Little Boney” in the early 19th-century caricatures of James Gillray, the English illustrator who took Napoleon down a peg by diminishing his reputation and scale to the point of absurdity.

Read More on The Public Domain Review…

Also appearing in the essay…

A historical military figure in a caricature is depicted in a frenzied state, stomping on papers, with a broken chair, a globe, and other objects scattered around. An expressive cloud of words emanates from the central figure, suggesting a chaotic or agitated state, with various texts and items on the ground contributing to the scene's disarray.

A person slipping and falling on a snowy pavement outside a shop with caricature illustrations in the window.

A vivid caricature showing an animated figure in historical military garb stepping on a paper, wielding a sword with a fierce expression, as another figure looks on in astonishment.

An intricate caricature portrays three characters in historical military and naval attire engaged in a tense dialogue over a document. The character on the left is gesticulating aggressively with a saber, while the central figure in a naval uniform appears to be pleading, and the third figure on the right observes with a discontented expression.

This caricature depicts an allegorical representation of a nation, personified as a maternal figure, doting on a diminutive figure in elaborate historical military uniform in a cradle. The scene suggests a nurturing relationship with hints of satire, emphasized by the exaggerated features and theatrical postures.

A caricature portraying a very large figure observing a small figure in historical attire through a handheld telescope.

This detailed caricature depicts a scene with one figure lounging with a beverage and food, while two figures energetically dance in the center, and a third figure, in historical military attire, peeks from behind a curtain. The elaborate detail and exaggerated expressions suggest a satirical or humorous narrative.

A satirical artwork depicting a scene with oversized royalty watching a tiny man in a boat.

Other works by the artist in the archive…

Image of bubble(s) in visual art

A Sphere, Projecting Against a Plane by James Gillray, 1792

Image of bubble(s) in visual art

"Scientific Researches! — New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! — or, an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air —

sinking fund james gillray illustration

early vaccination illustration

A crowd listening to public speakers

The Great South Sea Caterpillar, Transform’d into a Bath Butterfly

The Devil and his Protegée or Another Separation in Contemplation

Artist

Date

1810

Source

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

More From

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library 122 images on PDIA

Underlying Rights

Public Domain Worldwide

Digital Rights

No Additional Rights

Source states they claim no rights on the material
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Available up to size large
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Archival inks on high grade art paper
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Image Size

3712 x 5304

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