An elderly courtier of the 'ancien régime' (left) bows low, in profile to the right, grimacing: 'je suis voire tres humble serviteur'. His features are aquiline; he wears a high toupet wig and a large black bag (which flies into the air as he bows) with a solitaire ribbon round the neck. His small tricorne hat is in his right hand, his left hand is on his breast; his fingers are extravagantly pointed. His successor (right) stands in back view, legs astride, hands thrust deep into his coat-pockets, a bludgeon projecting vertically from the left pocket. His head, with blunt, coarse features, is turned in profile to the left, to say: "baiser mon cu [sic]". He has shaggy hair with a long pigtail queue, and wears a large cocked hat, one peak on his neck, round which is a clumsy neck-cloth. His coat is loose with broad collar and projecting revers. His breeches are tied beneath the knee, showing striped stockings above very wrinkled boots with grotesquely pointed toes. 15 august 1799
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1799. Dimensions: Height: 260 mm; Width: 358 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. A French gentleman of the court of Louis XVIth. A French gentleman of the court of Égalité, 1799 (BM 1851,0901.994)
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