At Home With the Royals
06 August - 30 September 2007
Time: Normal House opening times
Price: Free with admission to Fairfax House
Time: Normal House opening times
Price: Free with admission to Fairfax House
Temperance - George III and his wife Charlotte, enjoying a frugal meal of eggs and salad. Gillray portrays the couple as misers and all the details of the print reinforce this idea. c.1792
Voluptuary - A bloated Prince of Wales gazes petulantly out at the observer, picking his teeth with a folk. Behind is a chamber pot overflowing on to his unpaid bills! c.1792
The Lovers Dream - The Prince of Wales sleeps blissfully, his arms around a pillow as he dreams of his marriage to Caroline of Brunswick (who hovers above). The marriage was a disaster, Caroline was fat and she stank. c.1795
Here is the King, Queen and Prince of Wales are guzzling the people's money in a reference to a recent debate in the Commons over how to fund the Prince's extravagant lifestyle
A venemous viper - twelve years after Queen Caroline's alleged adultery events were re-examined by teh House of Commons, Lady Douglas, one of the chief accusers, became a hate figure.
A satiree on teh marriage between Princess Charlotte and the monstrously far Frederick of Wurttemberg. The King and Queen lead them away whlist Pitt stashes the all-important dowry.
Duke Williams Ghost. The hughely fat and naked Duke of Cumberland lectures a druken Prince of Wales, who sprawls on the bed, on the dangers of exess.
A patriotic representation of George III, increasingly seen as a national hero despite his obvious frailties, slaying the French dragon in reference to several recent military victories.
An exhibition of cartoons by James Gillray, one of the best known Georgian satirists.
George III and his offspring were the butt of some of the finest and funniest late 18th C drawings. The best known of the Georgian satarists, James Gillray, used his great skill to savage his favourite cast of characters. No other artist could compare with him in terms of his sense of irony, his cultural understanding and the deadly accuracy of his abuse. Over 50 of his best known prints from local collector, Donald Coverdale, are on display.
There will be a souvenir booklet available to purchase to accompany this exhibition.
Tickets and Information
Call +44 (0) 1904 655 543