Gillray (James). The Contrast, or Things as they Are, H. Humphrey, Nov. 12th 1796

Gillray (James). The Contrast, or Things as they Are, H. Humphrey, Nov. 12th 1796, etching with contemporary hand-colouring, vertical margins trimmed to the neatline, old folds, torn with a small area of loss to the left-hand margins, repaired in facsimile, 320 x 580 mm (Quantity: 1) BM Satires 8834. One of Gillray's rarer images. A large format caricature satirizing the contrast between the British & French systems of government at the time of the French Revolution. On the left, "The British Constitution, its Basis, the Happiness of the People", illustrated by a functioning government, characterised by a sea-going empire, government by Paine's Rights of Man, Loyalty, Virtue & Honor. In contrast, the right-hand panal shows "Democracy or French Constitution, its Basis, Despotism. Along the cliff top is a line of gallows labelled "Liberty & Equality, or all on a Level" and below is a gruesome allegorical depiction of 'Blood, Terror & Oppression'. On the ground is a pile of old planks with the words Religion, Public Credit, Monarchy, Law, Trade, Honor, Arts, Virtue, Loyalty & Science. The names of Robespierre, Marat & Santerre appear on the central cross-bar of a double gibbet. Subtle it is not, but as a piece of jingoistic propaganda, it is hard-hitting and extremely effective.