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Dumourier Dining in State at St James, on the 15th May 1793, 30 March 1793

 Item — Box: LF104/2 Box 1
Reference code: LF104/2/57

Scope and Contents

Dumouriez (right) sits in a gothic chair (reminiscent of the Coronation chair), at the royal dinner-table. Three cooks advance towards him, wearing bonnets-rouges with tricolour cockades, aprons, and over-sleeves. They are Fox, the foremost, proffering the steaming head of Pitt; at his belt, in place of a cook's knife, hangs a dagger. Sheridan, on Fox's left, proffers a dish on which steams a broken royal crown. On the extreme left Priestley enters in profile to the right, holding up a dish containing a mitre. The dishes have a garnish of frogs. All look with eager courtesy towards Dumouriez, who sits with famished expectancy, a dagger in one hand, a fork in the other. He is much caricatured, thin, and unshaven, with straggling hair and long pigtail. He wears a large feather-trimmed cocked hat, lace ruffles, a gold-laced and ragged military tunic, a tattered shirt over bare legs. His plate bears the royal arms; other gold plate is in the form of inverted coronets and of a Communion cup with the letters 'SIH' (reversed). Two spoons are decorated with the red hand of a baronet. These objects indicate that Dumouriez has come to overthrow the monarchy, the Church and hereditary rank. On the back of his gothic chair is a red cap of 'Libertas'. Below the design: 'To the worthy Members of the Society at the Crown & Anchor, this Print, illustrative of Treasons in Embryo, (by them hunted out & exposed,) is submitted, by an admirer of their Loyal principles & truly Classic publications.' Hand-coloured etching. Description from The British Museum.

Dates

  • Creation: 30 March 1793

Conditions Governing Access

Available by appointment in our Reading Room

Extent

1 Item(s)

Language of Materials

English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository

Contact:
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
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