Title:
TAKING THE WATER LIKE A DUCK
Materials:
paper
Techniques:
lithograph
Production person:
Print made by John Doyle (HB)
Printed by: General Lithographic Establishment, 70 St. Martin's Lane
Published by: Thomas McLean
Production place:
London, England
Date: September 29 1843
Schools/Styles:
British satire
Description
No. 785. A hen with a man's face (Sir Robert Peel), standing on a shore at right, watching over a group of ducks taking to the water (among them Queen Victoria and Prince Albert), looking at a bird with a man's face on the opposite shore (King Louis-Philippe); a cock with a man's head seen in background at far right (Duke of Wellington).
Inscription Content: Series title and number at top right; initialled by artist; lettered below image with title and publication details: 'Published by T Mc. Lean, 26, Haymarket, Sepr. 29th. 1843. / Printed at the General Lithc. Estabt. 70 St. Martin's Lane.'.
With eye-shaped blindstamp at bottom left, lettered with 'Subscribers copy' and HB's monogram at centre.
Text from 'An Illustrative Key to the Political Sketches of H.B.', London 1844:
Her Majesty and Prince Albert, it will be remembered, enjoyed the recreation of yachting in one of the Royal steamers, in the autumn, 1843, and took the opportunity of paying a visit to the King of the French, who received them at the port of Treport, and escorted them to his Chateau of Eu, where they were entertained by his Majesty and Court for several days. The Queen and Prince then returned to Brighton, and after a short stay embarked again, and proceeded to Ostend on a visit to the King of the Belgians, by whom they were likewise entertained for some days. The accounts in the public journals represented Her Majesty as so much pleased, and so little inconvenienced by her marine excursion, that "taking the water like a duck," although a very homely form of expression, was by no means inappropriate to the occasion. Her Majesty's Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, in the character of Dame Partlett, is represented as under the same direful apprehensions for the safety of his royal chick, that a hen feels who has hatched a brood of ducks, and sees them run into a pond, but the Duke of Wellington, like an old cock, seems to entertain no such fears. The example of Her Majesty is being followed by Prince Albert and the Court, and on the opposite side of the Channel, the Majesty of France in the likeness of the Gallic bird, awaits to receive the party.
Associated names
Representation of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Representation of Queen Victoria
Representation of Sir Robert Peel
Representation of Louis Philippe, King of the French
Representation of Albert, Prince Consort