The French Consular-Triumverate, settl'ing the New Constitution., James Gillray, 1800

The title continues: 'with a peep at the constitutional-pigeon-holes of the abbe seiyes - in the back ground'. Bonaparte (right) sits at a small table writing with fierce decision; the second and third consuls sit facing him, biting their pens in pompous indecision, their papers are blank. The latter wear the flamboyant dress of the directors (see bmsat 9199), cambacéiès (left) has thick gouty legs. Bonaparte wears similar dress, but with a more fantastic cocked hat, in which, besides enormous feathers, is a large sheaf of olive-branches tied with tricolour (symbol of his overture to george iii, see bmsat 9512); he wears jack-boots and a large sabre inscribed 'liberté'. He writes the 'nouvelle \ constitution \ grand consul buonaparte \ tout en tout buonaparte \ bu. . ' beside him are papers docketed: 'constitution pour l'avenir: buonaparte grande monarque' and 'confiscations'. On the ground are torn papers: 'vielles constitutions'; 'droit [de] l'homme'; his foot rests on 'constitution of 1793'. Behind, sieyès, a lean grotesque savant, holds apart with both hands, with a violence that suggests impotence, a curtain which stretches across the design, revealing papers in pigeon-holes inscribed: 'constitution de parade', 'constitution du sang', 'constitution de foutre', 'constitution de despotism', 'constitution de vol[eur?]'. Above them is a model of a guillotine. Above the curtain is a festoon of tricolour, inscribed 'vive le constitution une et invisible', centred by crossed blunderbusses. The tablecloth is looped up to show a group of tiny fire-lit demons forging fetters. Beneath the design: 'the above are true likenesses of cambaceres, - le-brun - the abbé seiyes, and buonaparte, drawn at paris novr 1799'. All are caricatured, but bonaparte less than the others. 1 january 1800 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1800. Dimensions: Height: 350 mm; Width: 250 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Napoléon I, Emperor of the French. Collection: British Museum. The French Consular-Triumverate, settl'ing the New Constitution. (BM 1851,0901.1007)