Library's copy has the names of several of the subjects depicted inscribed in ink in the upper margin of the print.
Title etched below image.
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.
Text in lower right corner of plate 4: All the works of Bunbury, & Gillray, to be had of S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly.
A design on four plates, the prints to be pasted together to form a long strip; the imprint is on plate 1, the title on plate 2 and plate 3, the inscription relating to Bunbury, &c, on plate 4.
"A fantastic representation of the supper at the ball given by the eleven Knights of the Bath installed on 19 May in Westminster Abbey, see BMSat 7318. Full accounts appeared in the newspapers, and the scene depicted appears intended for 'the Prince of Wales, Duke of York, and a select party of their friends' who 'supped privately in the cotillon room'. 'London Chronicle', 27 May 1788. The guests sit on each side of a long narrow table, scantily provided with food, the bench on the near side of the table showing legs and feet in characteristic attitudes. The design, long as it is, shows only a section of the table, the ends not appearing. [Pl. 1.] On the extreme left, on the near side two elderly and ugly ladies lean ingratiatingly towards Major Topham, the seat of whose breeches is decorated with Prince of Wales's feathers. On the opposite side, on the extreme left, is a couple identified as Sir J. Johnstone and lady. He is very unlike the herculean uncouth figure described by Wraxall, 'Memoirs', 1884, iv. 404. Next (opposite Topham) Lord Bathurst takes wine with Lord Stormont who grasps a decanter of French Wine. Burke, seated next Topham, on whom he turns his back, holds out an empty plate towards Hastings on the opposite side of the table who keeps to himself a whole ham; they regard each other with wary suspicion. On Hastings's left sits Mrs. Hastings, also looking warily at Burke. She is decked with jewels and wears a small crowned turban as a head-dress. Next her is a man wearing a ribbon and star, drinking, who is identified as the Marquis of Buckingham (K.G.). Opposite Mrs. Hastings sits a very fat lady talking to a lean man wearing epaulettes. They are identified as Mrs. Hobart [Whom she does not resemble] (actually Miss Jefferies) and Col. Jekyll. Next Jekyll, Lord Sandwich and an ugly (unidentified) man share the same jelly-glass, holding between them the plate on which it stands. On the extreme right, on the farther end of the table, a man of plebeian appearance drinks from a tankard; he is identified as Dr. Parr. The man between him and Buckingham is identified as the Duke of Portland, whom he does not resemble. [Pl. 2.] On the extreme left the Duke of Grafton turns towards the fat Mrs. Hobart (identified as Miss Jefferies). Opposite him a stout man drinking from a jelly-glass has been identified as Lord Nugent (whom he does not resemble). Next him Cornwallis, wearing ear-rings, puts his arm round the shoulder of a lady, identified as Lady Clive, who looks languishingly at him as she takes a (?) peach. Next her is Lord North. Opposite him is a man identified as Sir George Shuckburgh [He is unlike the Shuckburgh of Gillray's 'French Habits' (1798)] who takes his neighbour by the arm offering her a glass of wine; she demurs deprecatingly. On the farther side of the table, with no one seated opposite him, is the Prince of Wales, a fork held to his mouth (as in BMSat 8111), sitting impassively between Lady Archer and Lady Cecilia Johnston, two bedizened harridans, who ogle him, putting their hands on his shoulders. Next Lady Cecilia (right) is Mrs. Fitzherbert, ogling Wilkes, who sits next her, squinting and leering. On the near side of the table is a man in back view wearing a ribbon and (right) Lord Carlisle talking to Lord Heathfield who sits behind a sirloin of beef. Opposite him and on the extreme right is a pretty young lady identified as Miss Bingham. [Pl. 3.] On the extreme left, on the near side of the table, a middle-aged couple, holding knives and forks, turn to each other with animated smiles. Opposite them sits a good-looking young man wearing a ribbon and star (perhaps Lord Mornington). On his left the Duke of Richmond turns with an expression of pained surprise to Lord Rawdon. Opposite this pair two stout men turn to each other, both drinking. The central group of this plate, a pendant to that of the Prince of Wales on pl. 2, is the Duke of York sitting between two pretty young women, his right arm is round the shoulder of one, probably Lady Tyrconnel, the other holds his left arm and shoulder; both look languishingly at him. On the near side of the table are two more couples: Lord Amherst (caricatured) puts an arm round the waist of a lean and ugly old woman wearing the fashionable false 'derrière' in an exaggerated form. On the extreme right Lord Derby, his hand on his breast, drinks wine with the witch-like Lady Mount Edgcumbe. On the farther side of the table are two unidentified men, one of whom drinks from his plate; next him is a pretty young woman. On the extreme right Dundas turns to speak to his left-hand neighbour; he grasps a decanter and glass, spilling his wine. [Pl. 4.] On the farther side of the table Philip Francis turns to speak to Dundas. Opposite him, and on the extreme left, a stout lady, identified as Lady Salisbury, sits in back view, her petticoats enormously inflated behind. She speaks to no one: Pitt, her right hand neighbour, leans behind the back of the Speaker (alternatively identified as Thurlow) to touch glasses with Fox, who smiles amiably, holding a decanter in his right hand. Cornwall bends avidly over his plate; he wears his Speaker's wig, the mace lies across his knees. Four figures sit opposite this group: the ugly Pepper Arden who gazes admiringly at a pretty young woman on his left; she appears displeased at her position between Arden and a fat woman who puts both knife and fork to her mouth. Next the latter is Lord Lansdowne, who seizes affectionately the hand of Lord Sydney who turns towards him with a smile; they drink to each other. Next Fox on the near side of the table a plain and elderly couple drink to each other; both are thin. They are identified as Lady Powlett and Sir H. Powlett. Opposite them, and, like the lady on his left, intent on his plate, is a military officer identified as General Bligh. His neighbour is old and haggard, her hair elaborately dressed. Next her and on the extreme right two men carouse together, both wear stars; one is identified as the Duke of Bedford, the other (right) as the Duke of Norfolk (neither had an order). Opposite, a man wearing a ribbon pours out wine for an elderly and ugly lady who receives the attention with a gesture of satisfaction. They are identified as Sir George and Lady Yonge. He is identical with the ass whose profile is shown on the extreme right in BMSat 7318, who can hardly be Yonge who appears elsewhere in that print."--British Museum online catalogue.