The narrow escape, or, Boney's grand leap 'a la Grimaldi!!

Napoleon escapes the Cossacks by leaping out of the back window of a shabby farmhouse. His angular form gracelessly flies through the air and down into the pigsty below. Possibly Napoleon will also land in the cracked chamber pot by the pitchfork. An alarmed looking pig watches Napoleon's great escape from the far left side of the sheet. On the right side of the image, bearded Cossacks storm into the tavern/farmhouse. As they enter, they skewer and scalp the French officers who attempt to waylay them. The Grimaldi family were a troupe of Italian acrobats whose performances were well known in London. The diamond-pattern on the tavern wall refers to the family and to Harlequin, a character from the Commedia dell'Arte who performed acrobatic feats. This reference is clarified in the caption inscribed after the title of the image. This caption may have been derived from news accounts of the event. For other representations of Napoleon's escape from a Russian farmhouse, see "Nap Nearly Nab'd," published by Thomas Tegg in June 1813. It followed Cruikshank's caricature by 6 months. Napoleon escapes the Cossacks by leaping out of the back window of a shabby farmhouse. His angular form gracelessly flies through the air and down into the pigsty below. Possibly Napoleon will also land in the cracked chamber pot by the pitchfork. An alarmed looking pig watches Napoleon's great escape from the far left side of the sheet. On the right side of the image, bearded Cossacks storm into the tavern/farmhouse. As they enter, they skewer and scalp the French officers who attempt to waylay them. The Grimaldi family were a troupe of Italian acrobats whose performances were well known in London. The diamond-pattern on the tavern wall refers to the family and to Harlequin, a character from the Commedia dell'Arte who performed acrobatic feats. This reference is clarified in the caption inscribed after the title of the image. This caption may have been derived from news accounts of the event. For other representations of Napoleon's escape from a Russian farmhouse, see "Nap Nearly Nab'd," published by Thomas Tegg in June 1813. It followed Cruikshank's caricature by 6 months. Title: The Narrow Escape, or, Boney's Grand Leap 'a La Grimaldi!! Caption: "No sooner had Napoleon alighted &/ entered a miserable house for refreshment, then a party of Cossacks rushed in after him. Never was Miss Platoff so near Matrimony!!!/ Had not the Emperor been very alert at Vaulting and lept through the window with the nimbleness of an Harlequin, while his faithfull/ followers were fighting for his life, there would probably have been an end at once to that great Bubble, the French Empire." Caption: Pub by S Knight S Woodings Alley Je 1813 Label(s): The Hole in the Wall/ by Jimmy Jumps from/ the Dunghill/ food accommodation for travellers N3 hot baths &c