French generals retreating

Piled into a clumsy wooden sled, a group of seven French generals attempt to escape from Russia. All around, a bleak winter landscape stretches, revealing no point of origin or safe harbor for the retreating generals. The horses pulling the sled do so under great duress. The horse closest to the viewer kicks its back legs at the driver, while the other brays angrily at his driver attempting to maneuver the horse by pulling on its tail. Despite the slow progress they appear to be making, the petticoats and ribbands worn by the generals stream in the wind. Comically, the figures react with ridiculous facial expressions signaling despair, worry, or shock. They are so intent on their departure, they do not notice the general who has fallen backwards off the sled onto the frozen field. Rather, the figures remaining in the sled shiver in the cold and try to warm themselves by pulling their cloaks and hats up around their ears. Most of the borrowed (or stolen) robes they have used to supplement their uniforms is women's clothing: hats, petticoats and cloaks in particular. Piled into a clumsy wooden sled, a group of seven French generals attempt to escape from Russia. All around, a bleak winter landscape stretches, revealing no point of origin or safe harbor for the retreating generals. The horses pulling the sled do so under great duress. The horse closest to the viewer kicks its back legs at the driver, while the other brays angrily at his driver attempting to maneuver the horse by pulling on its tail. Despite the slow progress they appear to be making, the petticoats and ribbands worn by the generals stream in the wind. Comically, the figures react with ridiculous facial expressions signaling despair, worry, or shock. They are so intent on their departure, they do not notice the general who has fallen backwards off the sled onto the frozen field. Rather, the figures remaining in the sled shiver in the cold and try to warm themselves by pulling their cloaks and hats up around their ears. Most of the borrowed (or stolen) robes they have used to supplement their uniforms is women's clothing: hats, petticoats and cloaks in particular. Published by Hannah Humphrey. Mary George notes that this image belongs to a series of caricatures made by Cruikshank. The inspiration for Cruikshank's image is Terebenev's satire titled 'Journey of the Exalted Traveller from Warsaw to Paris.' This Russian caricature is reproduced by Broadley (ii-173). The title at the top of this image is written in Cyrillic script. 1813-05-13 Caption: Published May 30th 1813 by H Humphrey St James's Street Printed Signature: George Cruikshank sculp. Annotation: 5- Annotation: TH8.58 Collector's Mark: A Collector's Mark: [a triangle]