Counsellor O.P.–Defender of our Theatric Liberties
December 5, 1809
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
plate: 13 7/8 x 13/16 in. (35.2 x 2.1 cm) sheet: 14 3/16 x 10 1/16 in. (36 x 25.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Accession Number
17.3.888-74
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the satirical world of James Gillray, one of Britain's greatest caricaturists, with *Counsellor O.P.–ender of our Theatricies* (1809). This hand-colored etching, published by Hannah Humphrey, captures uproar of London's theater scene through exaggerated wit. Gillray's masterful style—part of the Georgian-era tradition—uses sharp lines vibrant hand-coloring to lampoon public figures, turning political and cultural squabbles into visual comedy. The modest plate size (13 7/8 x 13/16 in.) made it perfect for affordable broadsheets, spreading satire far and wide. Created amid the infamou...