The Bear and His Leader by James Gillray

The Bear and His Leader Possibly 1806

drawing, print, etching, paper

drawing

aged paper

toned paper

print

etching

traditional media

caricature

paper

personal sketchbook

england

watercolour illustration

storyboard and sketchbook work

cartoon carciture

sketchbook art

watercolor

This satirical hand-colored etching, "The Bear and His Leader," by James Gillray, depicts Napoleon Bonaparte (the bear) as a beast being led by the British Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger. The bear is wearing a muzzle and a chain, indicating British control over Napoleon. Gillray was a famous British caricaturist who used his work to satirize political events and figures. This artwork, which is housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, is a prime example of Gillray's ability to use humor and exaggeration to comment on current events.