Details
SAYERS, James (1748-1823). A collection of 139 caricature etchings on wove paper, tipped-in on blue paper, elephant folio album, half calf (covers detached and worn).
Sayers started to produce caricatures in 1780 and sided with Pitt against his sparring partners Fox and Burke. His works were etched and published by the Bretherton brothers and were so powerful and direct that Fox is said to have declared that the works did him more harm than all the attacks made on him in parliament. Upon Pitt attaining office in 1783, Sayers was given the post of Marshal of the Court of Exchequer. Although the majority of Sayers' work in this collection relate to British politics and the French revolution, two plates illustrate the ghost of Johnson despairing at the biographical works by Boswell and Mrs Thrale.
Sayers started to produce caricatures in 1780 and sided with Pitt against his sparring partners Fox and Burke. His works were etched and published by the Bretherton brothers and were so powerful and direct that Fox is said to have declared that the works did him more harm than all the attacks made on him in parliament. Upon Pitt attaining office in 1783, Sayers was given the post of Marshal of the Court of Exchequer. Although the majority of Sayers' work in this collection relate to British politics and the French revolution, two plates illustrate the ghost of Johnson despairing at the biographical works by Boswell and Mrs Thrale.