Dumourier dining in State at St. James's on the 15 May, 1793
Summary
Dumouriez (right) sits in a gothic chair (reminiscent of the Coronation chair), at the royal dinner-table. Three cooks advance towards him, wearing bonnets-rouges with tricolour cockades, aprons, and over-sleeves. They are Fox, the foremost, proffering the steaming head of Pitt. At his belt, in place of a cook's knife, hangs a dagger. Sheridan, on Fox's left, proffers a dish on which steams a broken royal crown. On the extreme left Priestley enters in profile to the right, holding up a dish containing a mitre. The dishes have a garnish of frogs. All look with eager courtesy towards Dumouriez, who sits with famished expectancy, a dagger in one hand, a fork in the other. He is much caricatured, thin, and unshaven, with straggling hair and long pigtail. He wears a large feather-trimmed cocked hat, lace ruffles, a gold-laced and ragged military tunic, a tattered shirt over bare legs. His plate bears the royal arms. Other gold plate is in the form of inverted coronets and of a Communion cup with the letters 'SIH' (reversed). Two spoons are decorated with the red hand of a baronet. These objects indicate that Dumouriez has come to overthrow the monarchy, the Church and hereditary rank. On the back of his gothic chair is a red cap of 'Libertas.' Below the design: To the worthy Members of the Society at the Crown & Anchor, this Print illustrative of Treasons in Embryo (by them hunted out & exposed) is submitted by an admirer of their principles & truly classic publications (BM). / On Dumourier's desertion from the service of the French Republic. He was at this time understood to be on his way to England (Wright/Evans).
Courtesy of Boston Public Library
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