Effusions of a Pot of Porter, - or - Ministerial Conjurations for Supporting the War
1799
18th century
37.8 cm x 29.2 cm (14 7/8 in. x 11 1/2 in.)
James Gillray
(London, 1757 - 1815, London)
Primary
Object Type:
print
Artist Nationality:
Europe, English
Medium and Support:
Etching and aquatint with hand-coloring
Credit Line:
Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Anonymous gift, 2010
Accession Number:
2010.70
The year 1799 was marked by particularly bad weather, causing prices to increase on many domestic products. In this print, Prime Minister William Pitt commands the elements to destroy crops, specifically beer-brewing crops such as malt and hops, causing shortages and higher prices. Pitt’s enemies claimed he drove the prices up in order to fund the war against the French Republic.