Rare Hand-colored Etching "The People's Favourite Fox." 1795 by Dighton, Robert - 1795

London: [none indicated], 1795. Loose_leaf. Very Good. Hand colored etching on wove paper. Sheet size: Height: 165 mm. Width: 220 mm. (trimmed to the plate mark). Print Condition: folded in thirds at one time, with folds still faintly visible; otherwise, a striking impression, with strong line and vibrant color. Description of content: "A sleek and handsome fox with a magnificent brush and the head of Fox (not caricatured) stands in profile to the left, looking at a winged caterpillar (cf. BMSat 8676) with the head of Pitt. Pitt's small sharp profile looks down at Fox, saying, "poor Fox". Above the latter's head is etched 'I Hate Pit-y'. [behind winged caterpillar Pitt is the new addition of _______ unidentified head beaming down as if the sun]; Fox tramples on two papers: 'Oppressive Power' and 'bribery & Corruption'. In front of him is a large bag: 'Crums | of | Comfort | The Love of my | Constituents'. From it emerges papers: 'List of the Whig Club'. [end description for earlier state of "The People's Favourite Fox"]. Behind Fox there is a small hut or barn ; on this barn structure hangs a sign with bust portraits of Pitt and Fox enclosed in circles; (these circles are)... linked to form a pair of spectacles. Pitt (left) is in profile to the right; from his frame or circle hangs a bag containing money-bags and papers inscribed: 'Ways & Means', 'Gifts', 'Perqusites', 'Salary's £5800'. Beneath: 'In Place. The Budget full'. Fox looks gloomily over his left shoulder at the spectator. From his circle (or lens)...hangs an empty purse. Beneath: 'Out of Place. The Purse Empty.'" [This sign with Pitt and Fox in two circles which are joined to form a pair of eyeglasses is an exact (though smaller) replication of another earlier satirical Dighton print "A pair of spectacles easily seen thro'; thus completing the effective and artful melding of the two earlier prints, to wit: "The People's Favourite Fox." + "A pair of spectacles easily seen thro'; both of which are easily referenced in the British Museum's Satirical Prints collection, while any mention of this, later, combined presentation (despite our best search efforts) is nowhere to be found.