British Museum Catalogue: 'Thunderbolts strike Napoleon and his army from the left while from the right an eruption from Vesuvius is about to overwhelm them. The thunderbolts slant down from black clouds surrounding an irradiated space and the heads of Liverpool,the Emperor of Austria, the Tsar, Wellington, and Blücher. They issue from cannon, half-concealed in the clouds, and from the mouth of Liverpool, the foremost of the five. The centre of the rays which light up these heads and strike the heavy clouds is a dove with an olive-branch. Napoleon tumbles backwards from his horse...The cone of Vesuvius, rounded by smoke, sends up a cascade of missiles: among them are King Joachim of Naples (Murat) and his wife Caroline Bonaparte, who fall head first towards Napoleon, followed by rats. In another cascade of stones is a crown labelled 'To the right owner,' and a sceptre; these are about to fall into the arms of Ferdinand IV of Sicily, who stands below, reaching up for them. On the slope of Vesuvius are spires and buildings,inscribed Naples, while lower down is the bay, crowded with men-of-war, a Union flag flying above the French tricolour. As a pendant to Vesuvius and on the extreme left is 'The Good City of Paris,' bordered by tiny windmills. It is on fire, owing to thunderbolts falling perpendicularly from the clouds surrounding the allies.' British Museum Catalogue: 'Thunderbolts strike Napoleon and his army from the left while from the right an eruption from Vesuvius is about to overwhelm them. The thunderbolts slant down from black clouds surrounding an irradiated space and the heads of Liverpool,the Emperor of Austria, the Tsar, Wellington, and Blücher. They issue from cannon, half-concealed in the clouds, and from the mouth of Liverpool, the foremost of the five. The centre of the rays which light up these heads and strike the heavy clouds is a dove with an olive-branch. Napoleon tumbles backwards from his horse...The cone of Vesuvius, rounded by smoke, sends up a cascade of missiles: among them are King Joachim of Naples (Murat) and his wife Caroline Bonaparte, who fall head first towards Napoleon, followed by rats. In another cascade of stones is a crown labelled 'To the right owner,' and a sceptre; these are about to fall into the arms of Ferdinand IV of Sicily, who stands below, reaching up for them. On the slope of Vesuvius are spires and buildings,inscribed Naples, while lower down is the bay, crowded with men-of-war, a Union flag flying above the French tricolour. As a pendant to Vesuvius and on the extreme left is 'The Good City of Paris,' bordered by tiny windmills. It is on fire, owing to thunderbolts falling perpendicularly from the clouds surrounding the allies.' British Museum Catalogue: There are two earlier states: one with the word 'Approaching' used in place of 'Waterloo' and one with the word erased and left blank. Caption: Dark low'rs the Sky; the clouded air Portends the dire, approaching shock; Rapine exults, & grim Despair Laughs wildly from his barren rock: But soon shall Peace, from darkness breaking Smile brightly o'er our glorious Isle; And soon indignant Thunder waking From France shall tear a yoke so vile! Caption: Etchd by G. Cruikshank Caption: Pubd by H. Humphrey 27 St James's St June 17, 1815