A Kick at the Broad-bottoms!– i.e. Emancipation of "All the Talents &c" - Vide the Fate of Ye Catholic Bill
Original title: A Kick at the Broad-bottoms!– i.e. Emancipation of "All the Talents &c" - Vide the Fate of Ye Catholic Bill
kurzbeschreibung
James Gillray's hand-coloured etching and aquatint of 1807 takes aim at the failed Catholic emancipation in Britain. The print stages a dramatic confrontation in which a figure is brought down by the document 'Catholic Bill'. As part of the satirical visual journalism of its day, it combines political comment with vivid imagery.
Description
A figure in red and blue robes with a fur hat staggers forward, reaching for a paper labelled 'Catholic Bill'. Opposite, a crowned figure in red sits on a chair and holds out a sword. Around them, excited people press in, some raising signs reading 'Out with you all!'. The layout feels agitated; strong reds, green and blue dominate, with shadows left out.
Context
The caricature was prompted by March 1807: the British government under Lord Grenville introduced a bill to relax restrictions on Catholics. King George III refused consent, and the government fell. Gillray mocks the coalition government of 'All the Talents' and its push for Catholic rights.
Impact
The exaggerated figures and the chaos of the scene provoke a laugh that is also aggressive. The political message comes through immediately and prompts reflection on how power is distributed.
Technique
Etching and aquatint were used, followed by hand-colouring. Aquatint provides soft tonal gradations, the etching needle sharp outlines. Hand-colouring adds liveliness to figures and objects.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)