Nursing the Spawn of a Tyrant

Art Historical Context

This hand-colored etching, published on April 14, 1811, offers a sharp example of British political caricature during the Napoleonic Wars. Created shortly after the birth of Napoleon’s son, the future Napoléon II, the print depicts Empress Marie Louise nursing the imperial heir. The provocative title frames the child as the “spawn of a tyrant,” reflecting widespread British hostility toward the French emperor and his expanding dynasty. The work draws on the talents of caricaturists such as Thomas Rowlandson and publisher Thomas Tegg, who specialized in affordable satirical prints. These etchings were widely circulated to mock Napoleon’s regime and rally public opinion against France. The hand-coloring adds vivid detail to the exaggerated features typical of the period’s graphic satire, making the political message both immediate and memorable. As a print in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the etching captures how visual media shaped public perception of European politics in the early nineteenth century. It transforms a private family moment into a weapon of propaganda, illustrating the power of art to comment on power itself.

About the Artist

Napoléon II, King of Rome and Duke of Reichstadt|Napoléon Bonaparte|Thomas Tegg|Empress Marie Louise of France|Thomas Rowlandson (French|British|French|British) · 1811 |1757 |1769 |1764 –1832 |1827 |1821 |1834

French, Paris 1811–1832 Vienna|British, London 1757–1827 London|French, Ajaccio 1769–1821 St. Helena|British, active 1794–1829