In this well-known satire by Thomas Rowlandson, Napoleon is represented as a large spider sitting in the center of his web waiting patiently for unsuspecting flies to ensnare themselves. Stuffing his mouth with a "Spanish Fly," Napoleon's fat body is inscribed with the title "Unbounded Ambition." Rowlandson supplies Napoleon and several other flies with human heads making the comedy and the message of the image unmistakable. Already, the web is littered with many flies: "Dutch Fly," "Hanoverian Fly," and "Prussian Fly," to name a few. Skirting the web, the "Turkish Fly" declares that it fears it will be his turn next, while the "British Fly" announces that it is too smart to be caught in such a web. The sheet is in good condition and nicely colored. There are some small black spots, or stains, possibly from the printing process.
Notes:
Published by Thomas Tegg, 1808-06-12. British Museum, BM 10999. This satire provides commentary on the state of Europe in 1808. George writes: 'Before the Spanish revolt,... Napoleon seemed to control Spain and to be about to proceed to the complete isolation of Britain and the eventual partition of the Turkish Empire, having already dominated the princes of Europe.'
Caption: Pubd July 12th, 1808 by Thos Tebb N III Cheapside
Dialogue: British Fly: "Ay you may look Master Spider but I am not to be caught in your web."
Dialogue: Pope Fly: "I am afraid I shall be draggd in."
Dialogue: Russian Fly: "I declare I was half in the web before I made the discovery."
Dialogue: Turkish Fly: "I am afraid it will be my turn next."
Printed Signature: Thomas Rowlandson scul. Woodward del.
"The Corsican spider in his web!"
(1808).
Napoleonic Satires from the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, Prints, Drawings and Watercolors from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:232137/
The Napoleonic satires housed in the Anne S. K. Brown Military collection of the John Hay Library represent several important gifts made to the library in the 20th century. In addition to the Napoleonic satires located in the military collection …
This vast digital collection of military artwork from the 16th through 20th centuries, vividly documents all aspects of military and naval history, with emphasis on the history and illustration of world military and naval uniforms from the 17th century to …
