Author: Gillray, James. (1756-1815) printmaker
Title: The Friend of the People" & His Petty-New-Tax-Gatherer Paying John Bull a Visit. Original Etching
Description: London: H. Humphrey, 1806. Handcolored etching. on wove paper. 35.8 x 25 cm. platemark Sheet size 38.7 x 28.5 cm. Signed and dated in the plate lower left. Publisher name lower right. References: British Museum BM 10571; Met Museum Accession Number: 17.3.888-78;Wright and Evans, No. 321... Yale University library: "Fox and Lord Henry Petty stand at the door of a ramshackle tenement house; a distressed family look down at them from an open casement window over the door. Petty's hand is on the knocker; he holds a large open book and shouts "Taxes! Taxes! Taxes!" Behind his ear a pen. The book, on which Fox puts both hands, is inscribed: 'New Taxes, Property Tax 10 per Cent, Small Beer Tax, Tax on Servant Maids, Iron tax [scored through], new Malt Tax, new Window Tax, new Stamp Tax, Hats, Salt, Tobacco, Shoes, Shirts, stock[ings]'. Between door and window is a board: 'John-Bull, - late Dealer in the Shop-below; - Moved Upstairs: NB - Porter-age done; Shoes clean'd &c.' The angry John, much dishevelled, holds open the window to shout down: "Taxes? - Taxes? - Taxes? - why how am I to get Money to pay them all? - I shall very soon have neither a House, nor Hole to put my head in." Fox answers: " - a house to put your "head in? - why what "the Devil should you want "with a House? - hav'nt "you got a first-Floor-Room "to live in? - & if that is too "dear, can't you move into "the Garret or get into the "Cellar? - Taxes must "be had, Johnny! - come "down with your Cash "its all for the good "of your dear "Country!" In Fox's coat pocket is a large money-bag inscribed 'Poundage'. Behind John stands woman holding an infant in each arm, another child gnaws a bone; two others one with a skull-like head, look from the window. On the ground floor (l.) is a shuttered window placarded 'This Shop to Let Enquire of the Tax Gatherer'. The window above it has been bricked up to escape the tax; a lean cat looks from the casement under the eaves. From the window above John Bull (a corner only visible) hang a ragged shirt and stockings. A lamp projectine from the house (a corner one) is broken. Against the wall beside the door (r.) is a pump at which are three ragged children: a little boy pumps, another kneels to put his mouth to the gushing water, while a little girl with a raw turnip eagerly waits her turn. On the pump are two inscriptions: 'New Brewery for the Benefit of the Poor - C.J. F - in ye Chair - Resolved .' and 'Erected 1806 C.J Volpone [cf. BMSat 9892, &c.] - Overseer'. By the children lie a hoop-stick and a hoop from a barrel and inscribed 'Whitbreads Entire' [cf. BMSat 10421, &c.]. On the left. are barrels inscribed 'Home-Brew'd Small-Beer Ten Shillings a Barrel Duty'. Across the road (l.) is a pawnshop with the sign of the three balls: 'Broad-bottom Pop-Shop' [see BMSat 10530]. In the upper windows of the prosperous shop are piles of moneybags inscribed 'Pension' and 'Sinecure'."--British Museum online catalogue. .

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