British Tars, Towing the Danish Fleet into Harbour c. 1807

James Gillray created this hand-colored etching titled *British Tars, Towing the Danish Fleet into Harbour* to commemorate the 1807 Battle of Copenhagen. Gillray was a prominent caricaturist during a time of intense political and social upheaval. This print offers insight into British identity and the period's jingoistic sentiments. We see British sailors, or "tars," depicted as comically hauling the Danish fleet, represented by a whale spouting water. This imagery ridicules the defeated Danish, portraying them as hapless creatures at the mercy of British naval power. In the background, Copenhagen burns, and a figure representing Napoleon plummets from the sky. Gillray uses stereotypes to create a vision of British strength through the visual reduction of their enemies. The humor, though biting, served to reinforce a sense of national pride and superiority during a time of conflict. One can imagine the mix of emotions this image stirred: a sense of triumph mixed with the underlying unease of ongoing war.