| Description | A fair scene, with the various stalls and figures representing the state of play in international politics in 1807. This analysis has been taken from BM Sat 10763.
From left to right:
The German Booth, with Germans eating saur kraut. Behind it is the Russian Booth, with a Russian Bear tethered to 'French influence' and a poster announcing 'The Double Dealer, by Congreve, with French music'
At the Danish booth is a clown and a poster for 'The English Fleet' , an 1805 comic opera by Dibdin and 'The Devil to Pay', an opera by Coffey from 1730. It refers to capture of the fleet by the British
Next to the Danish booth, a Pierrot at the Swedish booth announces 'Blind Bargain' a comedy by Reynolds of 1805 and 'Hob in the Well' , by Hippisley, from 1730. This refers to the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus, who was forced to evacuate Stralshund on 20 Aug and surrender Rugen to French on 7 Sep.
At the Westphalia Booth there is an advertisement for 'Wife and No Man', a farce by Coffey of 1732, with' Jerry Sneake (from Foote's 'Mayor of Garratt' of 1763) in all his glory'
This refers to the crowning of Jerome Bonaparte as King of Westphalia that year. For ham as venison see D5459/2/52.
At the British booth symbols of Britain together, along with free beef indicate a plea for national unity, prompted by the fear of a rising by survivors of United Irishmen.
At the American booth there are announcements for 'Much Ado about Nothing' and 'The Deserter', a musical drama by Dibdin from 1773. Jerome Bonaparte had been forced by Napoleon to abandon American wife Betsy Patterson and marry Princess Catherine of Wurtemburg in 1806. There was friction between Britain and US over Orders in Council and desertions from British to American ships. This came to a head when the Cheasapeake boarded on 26 Jun 1807 after British armed vessels were excluded form American ports.
At the Dutch booth Louis Bonaparte is superimposed on Stadtholders flag.
The Spanish Booth announces 'All's well that end's well with a padlock'.
At the Prussian Booth there are advertisements for 'Tis well tis no worse' , a comedy by Bickerstaffe of 1770, and 'The Poor Soldier', a comic opera by O'Keefe from 1783. The Prussian officer is Frederick William. The Peace signed with France on 9 Jul 1807 meant Prussia lost all its territory west of the Elbe, the Polish provinces annexed in 1793 and the southern part of West Prussia acquired in 1772. It was forced to recognise Duchy of Warsaw with King of Saxony as rulers. Danzig was made free port and it only kept Silesia thanks to intervention of Alexander of Russia.Hot Prussian cakes refer to Prussia being made a 'fool/cake' after Tilsit. See D5459/1/93/14
In the foreground is Napoleon's gingerbread stall , probably in reference to Gillray's 'TIDDY-DOLL, THE GREAT FRENCH-GINGERBREAD-BAKER; DRAWING OUT A NEW SET OF KINGS (BM Sat 10518). It is a satire on Napoleon's imperialism after Austerlitz. Napoleon had his allies, the Electors of Bavaria, Wurtemburg and Saxony recognised as Kings. He promoted his family: Jerome became king of Westphalia 7 Jul 1807, Joseph became King of Naples on 30 Mar 1806, Louis King of Holland 5 Jun 1806.
The Austrian booth is hidden. Austria abstained from 1806-7 campaign
Available on CD 163. |