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The Orangerie; - or - the Dutch Cupid reposing after the fatigues of Planting / Js. Gy. inv: et fect., British Cartoon Print
Summary
William V, Prince of Orange, as a fat, naked Cupid, reclining on a platform of grass and flowers and leaning on a bag of money marked 24,000,000 ducats. In the foreground are a number of orange plants with each orange bearing the likeness of the prince. In the background, as if in a dream, are many heavily pregnant women: a milkmaid, a fishmonger, a house maid, and many farm women.
Catalog of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7, no. 8822
Forms part of: British Cartoon Prints Collection (Library of Congress).
Exhibited: Gillray and the Art of Caricature.
It wasn't really until the 1700s that caricature truly blossomed as a form of political criticism. In the late 1750s, a man named Thomas Townshend began using the techniques employed by earlier engravers and applying them towards a political model. This gave Thompson's cartoons a much greater feeling of propaganda than previous artistic critiques of the time. The intense political climate of the period, and often accusatory nature of most political cartoons forced many artists to use pseudonyms in order to avoid accusations of libel. Other artists took it a step farther, and left their cartoons completely unsigned, foregoing any credit they may have received. Political higher-ups were notoriously touchy about their reputations and were not afraid to make examples of offenders. Puck was the first successful humor magazine in the United States of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.
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