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- subject matching 'Literary and classical references'

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Gillray’s caricatures were not cheap. They were sold to an educated audience who were aware of the political scene and at the same time were able to decipher the prints’ sometimes complex literary allusions. Literary references ranged from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels in The King of Brobdingnag and Gulliver (D13104) to Shakespeare: Taming of the shrew : - Katharine & Petruchio : - the modern Quixotte, or what you will (D12416). Classical references are more frequent and typified by The Fall of Icarus (D13044). This shows Lord Temple with disintegrating wings formed from the pens and stationery he was said to have appropriated after leaving government office.

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'Tom Jones, Partridge and the Beggar', by James Gillray, published by  Thomas Macklin - NPG D12285

'Tom Jones, Partridge and the Beggar'

by James Gillray, published by Thomas Macklin
stipple engraving, published 14 September 1780
NPG D12285

'Sophia, Honour and the Chambermaid', by James Gillray, published by  Thomas Macklin - NPG D12286

'Sophia, Honour and the Chambermaid'

by James Gillray, published by Thomas Macklin
stipple engraving, published 1 August 1780
NPG D12286

'Dido forsaken', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12994

'Dido forsaken'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 21 May 1787
NPG D12994

'The fall of Phaeton' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe)), by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12997

'The fall of Phaeton' (King George IV; Maria Anne Fitzherbert (née Smythe))

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 1 July 1788
NPG D12997

'Shakespeare sacrificed; - or - the offering to avarice' (John Boydell), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13069

'Shakespeare sacrificed; - or - the offering to avarice' (John Boydell)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 20 June 1789
NPG D13069

'Wierd sisters; ministers of darkness; minions of the moon', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12436

'Wierd sisters; ministers of darkness; minions of the moon'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 23 December 1791
NPG D12436

'Oh! That this too too solid flesh would melt', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12413

'Oh! That this too too solid flesh would melt'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 20 March 1791
NPG D12413

'Taming of the shrew : - Katharine & Petruchio : - the modern Quixotte, or what you will', by James Gillray, published by  Samuel William Fores - NPG D12416

'Taming of the shrew : - Katharine & Petruchio : - the modern Quixotte, or what you will'

by James Gillray, published by Samuel William Fores
hand-coloured etching, published 20 April 1791
NPG D12416

'The dagger scene; - or - the plot discover'd', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12467

'The dagger scene; - or - the plot discover'd'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 30 December 1792
NPG D12467

'Polonius', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12523

'Polonius'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 18 May 1795
NPG D12523

'My Poll and my partner Joe', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12565

'My Poll and my partner Joe'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 18 April 1796
NPG D12565

'Cymon and Iphigenia', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12569

'Cymon and Iphigenia'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured stipple engraving, published 2 May 1796
NPG D12569

Charles James Fox ('The Republican-Hercules defending his country'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12599

Charles James Fox ('The Republican-Hercules defending his country')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 19 February 1797
NPG D12599

Samuel Ireland ('Notorious characters. No 1'), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12629

Samuel Ireland ('Notorious characters. No 1')

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
stipple engraving, published 1 December 1797
NPG D12629

'Shrine at St Ann's Hill', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12650

'Shrine at St Ann's Hill'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured aquatint, published 26 May 1798
NPG D12650