'The pigs possessed: - or - the Broad Bottom'd litter running headlong into ye sea of perdition'
1 portrait of William Windham
'The pigs possessed: - or - the Broad Bottom'd litter running headlong into ye sea of perdition'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 18 April 1807
16 1/4 in. x 11 7/8 in. (412 mm x 302 mm) plate size; 16 3/4 in. x 12 1/8 in. (426 mm x 309 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
NPG D12888
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
- John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (1766-1839), Landowner; Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. Sitter associated with 26 portraits. Identify
- Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (1776-1839), Statesman and print collector. Sitter associated with 41 portraits. Identify
- George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham (1753-1813), Politician; MP for Buckinghamshire and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Sitter in 34 portraits. Identify
- Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle (1748-1825), Politician and diplomat. Sitter associated with 26 portraits. Identify
- John Courtenay (1738-1816), Politician and army officer. Sitter associated with 14 portraits. Identify
- Edward Smith Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), Sportsman and patron of horse-racing. Sitter associated with 65 portraits. Identify
- Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough (1750-1818), Lord Chief Justice. Sitter in 20 portraits. Identify
- Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), Lord Chancellor. Sitter associated with 69 portraits. Identify
- Richard Fitzpatrick (1748-1813), General, poet and politician; MP for Tavistock and Bedfordshire. Sitter associated with 7 portraits. Identify
- King George III (1738-1820), Reigned 1760-1820. Sitter associated with 194 portraits. Identify
- William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1759-1834), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 70 portraits. Identify
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 190 portraits. Identify
- Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings (1754-1826), Army officer and Politician, Governor-General of India. Sitter in 46 portraits. Identify
- Henry Richard Fox (later Vassall), 3rd Baron Holland (1773-1840), Whig statesman and patron of art and letters. Sitter associated with 57 portraits. Identify
- Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), Whig politician; Home Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lord President of the Council; Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Sitter associated with 77 portraits. Identify
- James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), Scottish politician and author of 'Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth'. Sitter associated with 37 portraits. Identify
- Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk (1746-1815), Politician; MP for Carlise and Arundel. Sitter associated with 55 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
- Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757-1844), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 78 portraits. Identify
- George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834), First Lord of the Admiralty. Sitter associated with 31 portraits. Identify
- George Tierney (1761-1830), Politician; MP for Southwark and Knaresborough. Sitter associated with 51 portraits. Identify
- Samuel Whitbread (1764-1815), Politician and brewer; son of brewer Samuel Whitbread. Sitter associated with 21 portraits. Identify
- William Windham (1750-1810), Politician; Secretary at War. Sitter associated with 52 portraits. Identify
This portraitback to top
The 'Ministry of All the Talents' was a coalition government formed under William Wyndham Grenville after the Tory William Pitt's death in January 1806. The members of the 'Ministry of All the Talents' were known as 'Broadbottoms' because of their wide political spectrum and their large posteriors. They are imagined here transformed into suicidal swine throwing themselves into the sea. George III is returned to his role as the long-suffering 'Farmer George', herding his unruly government off the edge of the cliff. A tardy Sheridan, reluctant to quit office, is kicked away to join the others. The fall of this coalition ministry after only 15 months in office was precipitated by the King's strong opposition to the Army Bill which proposed to extend Catholic emancipation to the armed forces.
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1807back to top
Current affairs
Act is passed abolishing the British slave trade after vigorous campaigning by hundreds of thousands of people led by Thomas Clarkson and championed in parliament by reformer William Wilberforce.Resignation of 'Ministry of all the Talents'. Whig politician William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, Duke of Portland, succeeds as Prime Minister.
Art and science
Thomas Hope publishes Household Furniture and Interior Decoration; influential in promoting Greek and especially Egyptian models as the epitome of fashionable style.International
French invasion of Spain and Portugal.Britain occupies Copenhagen and captures the Danish fleet.
Napoleon begins to wage an economic battle against Britain, recognising the impossibility of victory at sea because of Britain's superior naval power. He aims to close the entire European coastline to British trade.
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