Louis XVIII climbing the Mat de Cocagne
Dateca. 1815
Engraver
William Charles
(1776-1820)
After work by
George Cruikshank
(1792 - 1878)
MediumEtching with aquatint on laid paper
DimensionsOverall: 18 × 11 1/2in. (45.7 × 29.2cm)
Other (Plate): 13 3/4 × 9 3/4in. (34.9 × 24.8cm)
Credit LineGift of Mr. Dunscombe H. Colt, Jr.
Object number1964-22
DescriptionLower margin reads: "Philad.a Pub & Sold by W.m Charles, 32 so 3.rd/ Louis XVIII climbing the Mât de Cocagne/ "The Mât de Cocagne - is a long pole well soaped, on the top of which are hung upon Public occasions various Prizes which he who climbs/ to the top gets. A poor Creature of total incapcity affords infinite pity and Merriment and tumbles down faster than he ascends." / "He who fails once and tries again affords the most sport - Travils in France."Label TextWilliam Charles plagiarized this design from a print published in England by George Cruickshank. It makes fun of the scamble for power in France during the 1810s. The text in the lower margin reads: "The Mat de Cocagne" is a long pole well soaped, on the top of which are hung upon Public occasions various Prizes which he who climbs to the top gets, A poor Creature of total incapacity affords infinite pity and merriment and tumbles down faster than he assends." "He who fails once and tries again affords the most Sport. - Travels in France." King Louis XVIII was the King of France from 1814 to 1824 except for 100 days in 1815. In the print, King Louix has reached the top of the tall pole on which the crown rests. He is supported on the sword-point of the Duke of Wellington of England, who in turn stands on the bowed shoulders of the Frederick Wilhelm III, King of Prussia, who stands on the shoulders of the Tsar Alexander I of Russia who sits on the back of the Francis, Emperor of Austria, who is kneeling and supported by money bags. Among those who stand and watch this are Empress Marie Louise (the second wife of Napoleon I), and her son Napoleon II (also known as the King of Rome). All are watching and making comments. To the rear on a little island stands Napoleon who was exiled in 1815 to St. Helena to saying, "I climbed up twice without any help." The back right corner refers to a massacre known as Michelade. In 1567, a group of Protestants rose up and murdered a group of Catholics in Nimes during the French Wars of Religion known as the Michelade. It is a reference to the ongoing tensions between the two groups that carried on into the nineteenth century.
Markings"Philada Pub. & Sold by Wm Charles, 32 So 3rd.
1733-1738
1810-1815 (probably)