Williams (Charles)

Lord Eldon is savagely scratched about the face by a fierce cat in long red dress and elaborate feather headdress, representing the hugely popular soprano, Angelica Catalani. He stands in a circle of barristers, wearing his robes of the office of Lord Chancellor, his wig falling from his head in the melee, while they all look on in their wigs and gowns with various expressions ranging from horror to amusement. Angelica Catalani (1780-1849) was an Italian opera singer with a such a spectacular natural voice that she is considered to have been one of the greatest singers of all time. Her husband and manager nurtured her career to great commercial success, firstly all over Italy, then Portugal and France, before an extended period in London from the 1806 season. John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon (1751-1838), served as Lord Chancellor from 1801 to 1827. The cat in this caricature declares she will make him suffer for being unwilling to pay five shillings to hear her sing. He cries out to the surrounding barristers ‘Will none of you relieve me from this Termagant?’,

original hand-coloured etching, 240 x 340 mm. (9 1/2 x 13 3/8 in), a slightly later issue on wove paper watermarked 1818, trimmed within the upper and side platemarks, but well outside the image, [BM Satires 10919],