Bombardinian / conferring upon state affairs with one in office.

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James Gillray
1756-1815
Bombardinian / conferring upon state affairs with one in office.
etching & engraving
image: 312 x 245 mm; plate mark: 340 x 257 mm; sheet: 340 x 259 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2530
Published: 
[London] : Sold at No. 227 Strand [i.e. William Humphrey], [1779?]
Provenance: 
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Inscription: 

The names of the two figures have been identified beneath in ink.

Notes: 

Printmaker and imprint from BM Satires.
Lettered with title followed by quotation attributed to Churchill: "important blanks in natures mighty roll."; former imprint at bottom right of image burnished out, probably ending in "J Sayers".

Summary: 

Another and probably later version of BMSat 5606; the two men have labels coming from their mouths containing words, and are more correctly drawn. The house on the right. is a more important building and its door has a plate inscribed "Lieut: Genl Bombardi. . N° 40". Grey Cooper stands at a different angle, showing more than his profile, his forefinger is laid against his cheek. He is saying "Then - My Led and I - his Ledship introduced the Affair you and I know of". Sir R. Hamilton (Bombardinian) answers "Hum-Aye-Mum". The same quotation from Churchill is engraved under the title. An inscription etched in the lower right. corner has been obliterated, the last words seem to resemble "J. Sayers." Cf. British Museum online catalog.

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