Napoleonic Political Caricatures
go on Display in TCD's Library
A new exhibition of 19th century French political caricatures entitled
Emperor to Exile: Napoleon in Caricature was launched in the Long Room,
Trinity College Library today (Tuesday 28th September). Displaying a
selection of 41 Napoleonic caricatures, the exhibition features aspects
of the Emperor's career including his fall from grace, return from Elba
and final exile on St. Helena. The exhibition will run for a short
period only, until mid-November, so as to maintain the excellent
condition of the caricatures by minimising their exposure to light.
The exhibition marks the recent acquisition of the Glucksman Collection
of 750 hand-coloured caricatures, which cover the period 1798 to 1830,
with around 300 of them focussing on Napoleon. Comprising five volumes,
it was assembled in the 1830s. Besides being remarkably vibrant and
well-preserved, one of its most striking features is that the
caricatures all bear a manuscript annotations by the anonymous compiler.
These contemporary annotations offer some explanation of the context of
the imagery, occasionally giving the writer's personal opinion on the
events or opinions expressed in the caricatures. Although the identity
of the original owner remains unknown, the later provenance of the
collection includes a long period when it was in the possession of the
Barons Hottinguer, a well-established family of bankers based in Paris.
"This is one of the best collections of French caricatures outside Paris
and opens up exciting new avenues for research. We are extremely
fortunate in obtaining it," said Mr. Robin Adams, Trinity College's
Librarian in expressing his gratitude to the Glucksmans for their
generosity to scholarship.
The production of political caricatures increased dramatically in France
in the 19th century following the example of England, Italy and Holland
where cartoonists had started to produce subversive representations of
figures of authority in the 18th century. After the Revolution in
France in particular, cartoons became an acceptable way of stirring up
or simply representing public opinion, using by turns comical, crude or
sophisticated symbolic imagery to capture a recognisable viewpoint on a
burning political issue.
Emperor to Exile: Napoleon in Caricature runs until mid-November.
Admission to this exhibition also includes viewing the Old Library and
The Book of Kells 'Turning Darkness into Light' exhibition. Opening
Times: Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm and Sunday 12 noon to 4.30pm.
Admission Rates:Adults ?7.50, Students ?6.50, OAPs ?6.50. Group rate
available. School groups when accompanied by their teachers have free
admission from 1st Oct to 30th June.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Dr Charles Benson, Keeper, Early Printed Books, TCD Library Tel 608 1172
Anne-Marie Diffley, Visitor Services Manager, TCD Library Tel 608 2320
Sally-Anne Fisher, Communications Officer, TCD. Tel 608 3606 / 087
2070306