A caricature by James Gillray first published by S.W. Fores, No. 9, Piccadilly on June 28th 1791. This print is from the 1843 edition published by H. G. Bohn with later hand colouring. In the top engraving a French barber on the right, gesticulating says to six terror-stricken companions: "O sacre dieu! de King is escape! de King is escape". The foremost listener is a tailor, his shears stuck through the string of his apron, a measuring-tape round his shoulders, but wearing a cocked hat and sword. On the extreme left is a postboy. All have expressions denoting dismay. The barber has a comb stuck in his hair. The others wear tricolour cockades in their hats. In the lower engraving a group of ruffians listen with delight to a cook who says, taking a pinch of snuff "Aha! be gar, de King is retaken! Aha! Monsr Lewis is retaken! Aha!" In his cap is a tricolour cockade inscribed 'Liberty'; he wears over-sleeves, a spoon and fork are stuck through his apron-string, a string of frogs hangs from his belt. His most prominent listener is a shoe-black with a grotesquely wide grin, who stands, shoe in one hand, brush in the other. These much-caricatured ragamuffins are typical of the French republicans depicted by Gillray: at once ludicrous and horrible.
Approx 30cms by 42cms.
