Gillray, James (1756 – 1815) – ‘A Phantasmagoria: – Scene – Conjuring up an Armed Skeleton’.

'A Phantasmagoria: - Scene - Conjuring up an Armed Skeleton'. Etching and aquatint. 'Pubd Jany 5th 1803. by J. Gillray. 27 St James's Street'. This is a satire of the Peace of Amiens, presented in an oval on a dark ground as if a Phantasmagoria produced by a lantern (then a new entertainment). Addington, Hawkesbury and Fox are the three witches wearing tricolours and brewing a cauldron. A plume of smoke and steam labelled 'Peace' surrounds Britannia represented as a skeleton. Addington feeds the cauldron with coins and waves an olive branch wrapped with a serpent. Hawkesbury feeds the fire beneath the cauldron with papers inscribed: 'Dominion of the Sea', 'Egypt', 'Malta', 'Cape', 'Continental Alliances', 'Honduras', 'Switzerland', 'British Isles' etc. In the foreground is the head of the British Lion on which sits the French cock. Wilberforce in monk's robes kneels chanting a 'Hymn of Peace'. 13.75x10 inches.