What a Cur 'tis!, James Gillray, 1795

Lord howe sits full-face in an armchair, reading a 'gazette' headed 'june ist 1795'. He wears naval uniform, with a hat, smokes a long pipe and scowls meditatively. A dog with the head of sir roger curtis grovels at his feet, kissing his right toe; he has a collar inscribed 'black dick's dog'. Behind howe is a row of windows close together, with a view of the sea and ships. Beneath the windows is a broad shelf on which are wine-bottles, a sextant, and a punch-bowl. On a table at howe's right hand are a glass of wine and a plan of torbay. Beneath the title: 'done from an original drawing by a british officer - & publish'd as a guide to preferment'. 9 june 1795 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1795. Dimensions: Height: 294 mm; Width: 250 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Adm Sir Roger Curtis. Collection: British Museum. What a Cur 'tis! (BM 1851,0901.740)