John Bull taking a luncheon: - or - British cooks, cramming old grumble-gizzard, with bonne-chére
1 portrait of Horatio Nelson
John Bull taking a luncheon: - or - British cooks, cramming old grumble-gizzard, with bonne-chére
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 24 October 1798
10 3/8 in. x 14 3/8 in. (262 mm x 365 mm) plate size; 10 3/4 in. x 15 in. (273 mm x 380 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12661
Artistsback to top
- James Gillray (1756-1815), Caricaturist. Artist or producer associated with 887 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.
- Hannah Humphrey (circa 1745-1818), Publisher and printseller. Artist or producer associated with 720 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
Sittersback to top
- Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport (1726-1814), Admiral. Sitter in 12 portraits. Identify
- John Bull (active 1712-present), Fictitious epitomist of Englishness and British imperialism. Sitter associated with 151 portraits.
- Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan (1731-1804), Admiral. Sitter in 16 portraits. Identify
- Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Whig statesman. Sitter associated with 313 portraits. Identify
- Alan Gardner, 1st Baron Gardner (1742-1808 or 1809), Admiral. Sitter associated with 8 portraits. Identify
- Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe (1726-1799), Admiral. Sitter in 17 portraits. Identify
- Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson (1758-1805), Vice-Admiral and victor of Trafalgar. Sitter in 86 portraits. Identify
- John Jervis, Earl of St Vincent (1735-1823), Admiral. Sitter associated with 31 portraits. Identify
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), Dramatist and parliamentary orator. Sitter associated with 168 portraits. Identify
- Sir John Borlase Warren (1753-1822), Admiral. Sitter in 5 portraits. Identify
This portraitback to top
This print is one of several produced to celebrate Britain's victory at Aboukir Bay in August 1798. Nelson, wearing an apron over his uniform, serves John Bull a main course of captured French ships. He is surrounded by other heroic British admirals including General Howe, Earl St Vincent and Sir John Warren who offer a variety of other dishes, symbolising previous naval triumphs. An already obese John Bull, symbol of England and a regular figure in Gillray's work, appears here as 'Old Grumble-Gizzard' complaining ungraciously about the excess of victories on offer. The table is laid with crossed cannons, a plate of battered ships and side-dishes containing small gunboats. Opposition MPs Charles James Fox and Richard Brinsley Sheridan who had predicted defeat, appear at the window in a distressed state.
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1798back to top
Current affairs
To meet war costs, William Pitt introduces a Finance Bill which levies income tax for the first time.Art and science
William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge publish Lyrical Ballads; a key publication for the romantic movement in poetry. Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner opens the volume.Publisher and printseller Rudolph Ackermann establishes his popular 'Repository of the Arts' shop, gallery, library and social centre on the Strand.
International
Uprising of the United Irishmen: a republican rebellion which attempted to achieve Ireland's total independence by force with the aid of a French invasion. It was only narrowly defeated.Battle of the Nile. Napoleon's visionary Egyptian campaign offers British first major victory as Nelson destroys the French fleet.
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.