Tierney (left) lunges forward, his pistol levelled at pitt (right), who stands impassively, his pistol pointing at the ground. Fox strides forward, puts his left hand on tierney's shoulder, and offers him a blunderbuss, saying, "you may as well shoot at a needle you'll never hit him with that little pop gun - here take this - it's larger in the bore". Behind fox and on the extreme left are bedford, who says "that's near the mark", and norfolk, his hereditary earl marshal's baton under his arm, saying, "take good aim". Above their heads is abershaw's empty gibbet; a bird perched on it croaks: "plenty of room gemmen". Pitt, very erect, says: "arm'd with my own conscious rectitude - i i defy you all". Behind him capers dundas, wearing tartan coat, breeches, and plaid; he holds up a constable's crowned staff, saying: "murder! murder. Stop the duel stop the duel". The king's right hand projects into the design from the right, holding a larger staff close to that of dundas. His words are enclosed in a label: "stop the duel stop the duel, ha - what - ? - what - shot! - shot! - ". Two spectators stand in the middle distance; one looking through an eye-glass at pitt says "not in the least embarrass'd"; the other answers "he stands as easy as if he was in a drawing room". In the background is a house surrounded by a paling. See bmsat 9218, &c. 1 june 1798. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1798. Dimensions: Height: 248 mm; Width: 382 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford. Collection: British Museum. The duel-or Charley longing for a pop. (BM 1868,0808.6746)
Loading...
