File:Cognocenti-Antique-Gillray.jpeg

English: A Cognocenti contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique

Js. Gillray—invt—& fect.

SUMMARY: An elderly Sir William Hamilton inspecting his antiquities, all of which refer to his wife, Lady Emma Hamilton and her lover, Lord Horatio Nelson. In the background hang four pictures on the wall: "Cleopatra", a picture of Lady Hamilton with her breasts exposed, holding a gin bottle; "Mark Anthony", Lord Nelson with a sea battle in background: an erupting volcano; and a portrait of Hamilton, facing away from the other paintings.

MEDIUM: 1 print : etching, hand-colored.

CREATED/PUBLISHED: [London] : H. Humphrey, 1801 Feby 11th.

According to Wright & Evans, Historical and Descriptive Account of the Caricatures of James Gillray (1851, OCLC 59510372), p. 462, "A portrait of the celebrated antiquary and diplomatist, whose lady figures in the preceding print. It is not difficult to guess the allusions in many of the articles he is contemplating. Lady Hamilton as Cleopatra,* and Nelson as Mark Antony, with himself in the character of Claudius—he was a great lover of the table—are the pictures which adorn the walls.

 *She is represented in the character of Cleopatra in Boydell's Plates to Shakespeare."