Gillray, James. “The Esplanade”. Original antique engraving by James Gillray. From the Bohn edition of 1851, using Gillray’s original copper plates. With later hand colouring.

“The Esplanade” was originally published on 1 June 1797 by Hannah Humphrey in London, It is a subtle yet sharp political and social satire focusing on King George III.

King George III is depicted from a back-facing view with an awkward, splay-footed shuffle, turning his profile to greet an officer.

The tall, bowing general is identified as Lord Cathcart (then a major-general), while the other waiting officer is General David Dundas.

A wide semicircle of loyal provincial subjects—primarily women—stretches across the scene, staring at the King.

Above the King’s head hangs a scroll inscribed with the quote “Medio tutissimus ibis” from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which translates to “The safest course is through the middle”. It hints at the King’s cautious political navigating during a volatile era.

Gillray was one of five children, and the only one to survive to maturity. In 1770 he was apprenticed to Harry Ashby, a London writing in engraver, and five years later W. Humphrey published a few of Gillray’s illustrations including satirical works. By the time Gillray commenced his career satire was old, but personal caricature was in its infancy. Other exponents in this form of art were soon overshadowed by Gillray’s superior craftsmanship.

His figures were full of vitality, titillating and reflective of some political crisis or private scandal. As his popularity increased so did demand by the public to see more of his work. In the rapidly changing politics of the late18th century he would produce a plate in twenty-four hours. Although sometimes overlooked his speech bubbles were elaborate and Gillray would spend considerable time composing and redrafting the text.

Between 1791 to 1807 his career continued successfully in association with William and Hannah Humphrey. There after Gillray’s health began to suffer. He eventually slipped into madness and died shortly before the Battle of Waterloo on June 1st 1815. Hannah, who had a close relationship with him nursed Gillray through out his final years and following his death the copper plates then formed part of Hannah’s estate when she died in 1818.

The executors of Hannah’s estate sold Gillray’s painstakingly worked plates for there second hand copper weight. Hearing of this, the then publisher, Bohn who had previously expressed an interest in buying the plates set about purchasing them from a variety of different sources, eventually acquiring over 500. In 1851 Bohn republished the engravings in a large folio volume, “The Works of James Gillray”.