Tiddy-Doll, the Great French-Gingerbread-Baker; Drawing Out a New Batch of Kings, His Man Hopping Talley, Mixing Up the Dough

James Gillray|Hannah Humphrey

January 23, 1806 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

Gillray’s prophetic image of Napoleon as a baker feverishly creating gingerbread monarchs expresses British anxiety over the emperor’s rapid conquest of continental Europe and his evident intent to install relatives and favorites in positions of power. Freshly baked kings of Bavaria, Württemburg, and Baden are withdrawn from the oven (ready to replace rulers defeated by the French at Austerlitz in December 1805) while a cluster of "True Corsican Kinglings" (Bonaparte relatives) occupy a wicker delivery basket at left. Acting as baker’s assistant, French Foreign Minister Tallyrand kneads up Poland, Hungary and Turkey. Discarded monarchs are consigned to the oven’s ash-hole by the "Corsican Broom of Destruction." The name Gillray gave Napoleon was borrowed from Tiddy-Dol Ford, a famous London street hawker who sold gingerbread in Mayfair.

Artist

James Gillray|Hannah Humphrey

Date

January 23, 1806

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Philip van Ingen, 1942