Mock Auction or Boney Selling Stolen Goods

Art Historical Context

In the turbulent final years of the Napoleonic Wars, British satirists unleashed a barrage of caricatures mocking Emperor Napoleon I, often deriding him as "Boney" the diminutive plunderer. *Mock Auction or Boney Sellingolen Goods*, a hand-colored etching published by Rudolph Ackermann in London on 25, 1813, exemplifies this genre. Created by the prolific caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson it depicts Napoleon presiding over a chaotic auction of looted treasures, with figures like Empress Marie Louise and young Napoléon II possibly caricatured amid the ridicule. Measuring 9⅞ × 14⅛ inches, this print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection captures the era's biting political humor. Hand-colored etchings like this one were a hallmark of early 19th-century British printmaking, allowing affordable mass production while vibrant hues amplified the visual satire. Rowlandson's loose, expressive style—marked by exaggerated features and dynamic compositions—heightens the mockery of Napoleon's imperial ambitions, portraying him as a petty thief hawking Europe's stolen art and jewels. Published at a pivotal moment, just before Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig, the work reflects widespread Allied propaganda fueling public disdain. This piece not only entertains but illuminates how satire shaped public opinion, turning military defeats into cultural triumphs. Visitors today can appreciate its role in the golden age of caricature, blending artistry with sharp social commentary.

About the Artist

Napoléon Bonaparte|Rudolph Ackermann, London|Empress Marie Louise of France|Thomas Rowlandson|Napoléon II, King of Rome and Duke of Reichstadt (French| ) · 1769 | –1821 |

French, Ajaccio 1769–1821 St. Helena|