Boneys Broken Bridge

Archduke Karl Duke of Teschen|Rudolph Ackermann, London|Napoléon Bonaparte|Thomas Rowlandson

June 12, 1809 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

A scene with Napoleon standing on a river bank at left, pointing to the fragments of a stone bridge. One of his officers bows towards him and says, "With all due defference to your little Majesty—it was the Austrian Fire Boats that destroyed the Bridge." Napoleon responds, "Ah! who is it that dares contradict me, I say it was some floating timber, and the high swell of the river, that Caused the Shocking Accident." Austrian soldiers are gathered across the river at right, with the Archduke Charles on his horse beside them. They sing a parody of the nursery rhyme on London Bridge: "Boneys Bridge is broken down Dance over the Lady Lea Boneys Bridge is broken down By an Arch-Duke—ee"

Artist

Archduke Karl Duke of Teschen|Rudolph Ackermann, London|Napoléon Bonaparte|Thomas Rowlandson

Date

June 12, 1809

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959