James Gillray - A "Thank You" Robe from the Faculty... - 1803 - Humphrey Edition

"Address of Thanks of the Faculty to the Very Honble Mr. Influenzy"

(Address of thanks from the Faculty to the Very Honourable Mr. Influenzy for his kind visit to this country)
Original hand-colored engraving by James Gillray, published in London on April 14, 1803, by Hannah Humphrey, the leading British publisher of satirical art at the turn of the 19th century. This political and medical caricature personifies the 1803 influenza epidemic that struck Great Britain: "Mr. Influenzy," wearing a Phrygian cap alluding to the influence of revolutionary France, is absurdly and submissively thanked by a group of English doctors for his "visit" to the country. Gillray's satire targets both the alarming spread of the epidemic and the ineffective and misguided treatments of Georgian medicine, while also mocking the political anxieties of the Napoleonic era. The strong expressions, theatrical staging, and abundance of visual detail reflect Gillray's acerbic critique and his unmistakable comic style. The engraved inscriptions on the plate—"Js. Gillray invt. & fect" on the left, and "Pubd by H. Humphrey, 14 April 1803" on the right—confirm that this is a genuine contemporary print issued during Gillray's lifetime. The original hand-coloring has been well preserved, adding to the work's visual impact. The print has been presented in a mid-20th-century British frame with a black mount, providing a clean and elegant presentation ready for hanging. Highly sought after by collectors of 18th-century political satire, this piece is an important document of visual propaganda and medical history during the confrontation between Great Britain and Napoleonic France. Visible image size: 24.5 × 33.5 cm (approximately 9.6 × 13.2 in). Frame size: 32.5 × 42.5 cm (approximately 12.8 × 16.7 in).

Ref: XO5WHJE9IY