Jack Frost attacking Bony in Russia / desd. by E-.

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William Elmes
active 1797-1820
Jack Frost attacking Bony in Russia / desd. by E-.
hand colored etching
image: 216 x 331 mm; sheet: 241 x 340 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 1954
Published: 
[London] : Published Novem *7* 1812 by Thos. Tegg No. 111 Cheapside, 1812 November 7.
Provenance: 
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Notes: 

Lettered: "Desd by E- / Price one Shilling Coloured. Published Novem *7* 1812 by Thos. Tegg No. 111 Cheapside."
Plate numbered 179.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.

Summary: 

Jack Frost, bestriding a bear (left), hurls snowballs at Napoleon, who tries to escape, trudging through snow with skates attached to his spurred and tasselled Hessians. Two strike his back, another has knocked off his plumed bicorne. He holds his nose, looking over his shoulder to say: "By gar--Monsieur Frost this is a much colder Reception than I expected I never experianced such a pelting before--I find I must take care of my Nose as well as my Toes--Pray forgive me this time and I swear by --St Dennis never to enter your -- dominion again." From the angry bear's nostrils issues 'a Northern blast' which strikes Napoleon's posterior; its hindquarters are inscribed 'Northern Bear Ham'. Jack Frost is naked, except for large skates, emaciated, and old, with a wide gap-toothed mouth, beard, and huge moustache. From each glaring eyeball slants a searchlight inscribed 'Northern lights'. In each bony hand is a big 'Snow ball', and another flies through the air. He says: "What--Master Boney--have I caught You at last lie--teach you Russian fare--take that and that as a relish and digest it." In the middle distance the 'Empr Alexander' stands with legs astride on a mound of snow pointing derisively at Napoleon. He wears cocked hat, cloak, and fur-topped boots with huge curving toes, like those of three 'Cossacks' who watch Napoleon from a mound on the extreme left. They have spears but are smoking and one is seated; they grin, content to wait their time. Behind Alexander the spears and fur-capped heads of an army project above the snow, in front of the walls of 'Petersbourgh'. On the extreme right and nearer the foreground are French soldiers crouching in the snow and warming their hands at a fire of sticks inscribed 'Moscow'; fragments of gutted buildings are behind them. The sky is covered with slanting lines indicating a blizzard blowing against Napoleon and the French.

Classification: 
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