File:The Prussian prize-fighter and his allies attempting to tame imperial Kate, or, the state of the European bruisers (BM J,4.53).jpg

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The Prussian prize-fighter and his allies attempting to tame imperial Kate, or, the state of the European bruisers   (Wikidata search (Cirrus search) Wikidata query (SPARQL)  Create new Wikidata item based on this file)
Title
The Prussian prize-fighter and his allies attempting to tame imperial Kate, or, the state of the European bruisers
Description
English: Frederick William II of 'Prussia' (left) and Catherine of 'Russia' (right), both stripped to the waist, face each other with clenched fists: the Empress, very stout, with straggling hair; the King very lean, with an exaggeratedly long pig-tail queue which flies out to show that he is in violent action. The legs of both are wide apart. Other sovereigns of Europe stand on the right and left of the bruisers, with small figures in the background. Catherine says, "I can take a good deal - I dont mind you Lankey - I am Old and tuff - I wont leave a Turk standing". One foot points to 'Constantinople', the other to 'Petersburgh' (cf. BMSat 7843). Below her are the words: 'Destruction of fellow-Creatures said to be for the sake of Christianity - not for the extention of Empire'. Frederick William says: "Never fear - I'll give her her Belly full - I will put in some Strokes shall satisfy her - ". Beneath him are the words 'Trained by the Porte for lugging in his Allies - to have all the Stakes as usual'. Between his legs appears the small figure of the king of 'Poland' on horseback, saying, "Thus bestridden I must do as I am bid or Partition is the Word". Between and behind the combatants are Louis XVI, his crown suspended above his head, holding the hand of Charles IV, the small pair inscribed 'France and Spain'; Louis says, "The cursed Revolution has made Neutrals of us". Behind Prussia stand his two backers 'Holland' and 'G. Britain': a short stout Dutch burgher holding a bottle of 'Gin' and an orange inscribed 'Civil' stands passively smoking a pipe and saying, "As far as a glass Gin goes I dont mind and who will may fight since I know honest John will pay the Piper". George III stands in a threatening attitude, his fists clenched, saying, "Dont spare - make her come to". Beneath them are the words: 'Honor of attempting a general Peace through the medium of the Spanish Humbug in fighting for Prussia - consequent Taxation - Promise of promising Treaties and what other Benefits our promising Minister knows best'. On the extreme left the sultan of 'Turkey' and Leopold II as Germany face each other in profile. Selim, wearing a turban with a crescent and feather, and a furred robe over loose trousers, an enormous pair of pistols in his belt, holds a sheathed sabre in his left hand; beneath him are the words: 'Somewhat out of Wind and lighter in Blood and Treasure'. Leopold II wears a long ermine-trimmed robe; beneath him are the words: 'Recovered the Netherlands by the bargain, and at Liberty to look towards France'. Selim says, "I never knew such a woman - She's not to be satisfied". Leopold answers, "she shant Work me to death as she did my poor Brother [Joseph II]. hence we are Friends". Behind Catherine and on the extreme right are the kings of 'Denmark' and 'Sweden' holding hands; beneath the latter are the words: 'Had weighty reasons for fighting against Russia now ready to fight for her'. Christian VII says to his brother-in-law, "I have put myself in Training"; Gustavus III answers, "I have had many a set to with her - she has a deal of bottom: but I made her cry out and come down handsomely when I gave in". Between Russia and Denmark is a cask of 'Nants', and behind it the small figure of the 'Marquiss of L------' [Lansdowne], saying, "Shame on my Country for attempting to bring her Grey hairs with sorrow to the Grave. 14 February 1791
Hand-coloured etching
Depicted people Associated with: Catherine II, Empress of Russia
Date 1791
date QS:P571,+1791-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Medium paper
Dimensions
Height: 210 millimetres
Width: 565 millimetres
institution QS:P195,Q6373
Current location
Prints and Drawings
Accession number
J,4.53
Notes

(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VI, 1938)

The print foreshadows the policy of the Russian Armament by which England designed to send a fleet to the Baltic and a squadron to the Black Sea, to force Russia to make peace with Turkey on the basis of a restoration of conquests, as had been understood when the convention of Reichenbach was signed (27 July 1790) between Prussia and Austria. The triple alliance (England, Prussia, and Holland) had kept the Danes quiet and subsidized Gustavus III against Russia, but Catherine suddenly made peace with Sweden (14 Aug. 1790). The relations in the print between Turkey and Austria, as between Denmark and Sweden, are contrary to the facts. English foreign policy (Jan. 1791) was aiming at joint alliances of England and Prussia with Poland, Denmark, and Sweden. Rose, 'Pitt and National Revival', Chap, xxvi; 'Camb. Hist. of British Foreign Policy', i. 202 ff. As early as 13 Dec. 1790, in a debate on the Spanish Convention, Lansdowne, attacking the Government's foreign policy, said 'the Turks were excited to murder the Russians'. 'Parl. Hist.' xxviii. 941. Fitzmaurice, 'Life of Shelburne', 1912, ii. 371-2. For the Russian Armament see BMSat 7841, &c.
Source/Photographer https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_J-4-53
Permission
(Reusing this file)		 © The Trustees of the British Museum, released as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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current04:10, 16 May 2020Thumbnail for version as of 04:10, 16 May 20202,500 × 1,122 (429 KB)Copyfraud (talk | contribs)British Museum public domain uploads (Copyfraud/BM) Satirical prints in the British Museum 1791 #11,962/12,043

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