The troelfth cake. Allegory of the 1st partition of poland. The picture shows the rulers of the three countries that participated in the partition tearing a map of poland apart. The outer figures demanding their share are catherine ii of russia and frederick ii of prussia. The inner figure on the right is the habsburg emperor joseph ii. On his left is the beleaguered polish king, stanisław august poniatowski, who is experiencing difficulty keeping his crown on his head. Above the scene the angel of peace trumpets the news that civilized eighteenth-century sovereigns have accomplished their mission while avoiding war. The drawing gained notoriety in contemporary europe, with bans on its distribution in several european countries. Date: 1773.
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