The political spider

This aquatint was issued folded into The Satirist, a magazine. It depicts Percival, dressed in Exchequer's robes, about to destroy a large spider's web with a broom. While Percival is not caricatured, the figures represented in the web are given insect bodies for their human heads. George has identified the large spider in the center as Whitbread, who advocated peace. Other insects are: Cochrane, wearing a cocked hat; Burdette, a waspish insect; Wardel, with broken wings, lying on his back. The building at the left distance is the Treasury office. At the right a large cheering crowd encourages Percival. At the far right edge of the image, two small figures, whom George identifies as countrymen, stop just in front of the web, arms raised in fright. Comically, one figure holds a tankard of frothy beer, a beverage he may blame for this vision. This aquatint was issued folded into The Satirist, a magazine. It depicts Percival, dressed in Exchequer's robes, about to destroy a large spider's web with a broom. While Percival is not caricatured, the figures represented in the web are given insect bodies for their human heads. George has identified the large spider in the center as Whitbread, who advocated peace. Other insects are: Cochrane, wearing a cocked hat; Burdette, a waspish insect; Wardel, with broken wings, lying on his back. The building at the left distance is the Treasury office. At the right a large cheering crowd encourages Percival. At the far right edge of the image, two small figures, whom George identifies as countrymen, stop just in front of the web, arms raised in fright. Comically, one figure holds a tankard of frothy beer, a beverage he may blame for this vision. This sheet is not listed in Broadley. Although it is unsigned, George attributes it to 'The Caricaturist General.' The use of a greedy and dangerous spider centered in his web is a common theme in Napoleonic caricatures. In the case of the sheet by Voltz, later published in England by Ackermann, and in Rowlandson's image, Napoleon is usually associated with the spider. Dialogue: Percival: "Destroy his web, his prophecy's in vain/ The Creature's at his dirty work again." Inscription: Published for the Satirist Feby 1st, 1812.