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Cartoon, Political Mathematicians
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Cartoon, Political Mathematicians
Cartoon, Political Mathematicians, Shaking the Broad bottomd Hemispheres, by James Gillray. To that last Hope of the Country, the New Opposition, this Representation of Charleys Old Breeches in Danger is respectfully submitted. Napoleon watches (right) as rival British politicians of the coalition government (known as the Ministry of all the Talents) struggle with the balance of power after the 1806 elections. Date: 1807
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Media ID 14230311
© The Sharp Illustration Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
1800s 1807 Balance Bottom Bottomed Breeches Britannia Broad Burdett Coalition Comment Conservative Criticism Danger Dining Eating Economy Gillray Greed Greedy Harsh Hemispheres Hope Independence Lever Ministry Napoleon Opposition Pitt Politicians Power Representation Ridicule Rival Satire Satirical Seesaw Shaking Struggle Talents Tory Whig Fulcrum Mathematicians Paull
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James Gillray's 'Cartoon, Political Mathematicians, Shaking the Broad-bottomed Hemispheres' is a satirical commentary on the political turmoil in Britain following the 1806 elections. The cartoon depicts Napoleon Bonaparte (right) observing with amusement as British politicians of the coalition government, known as the Ministry of All the Talents, struggle with the balance of power. The politicians, represented as mathematicians, are shown attempting to keep the seesaw-like "broad-bottomed hemispheres" of the coalition government in equilibrium. The politicians, including Charles James Fox (left), Lord Grenville (middle), and Lord Grey (middle), are depicted as greedy and gluttonous, with Britannia (far left) looking on in dismay as they tug at the ends of the seesaw, each trying to gain the upper hand. The title of the cartoon refers to the precarious state of the coalition government, with the "hope of the country" hanging in the balance. The image is a harsh criticism of the politicians' inability to work together and their self-serving motivations. The cartoon was published in 1807, a time of great political instability in Britain as the country sought to navigate its response to Napoleon's expanding European empire. The image is a fascinating glimpse into the political climate of the time and the role of satire in shaping public opinion.
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