Overthrow of the Republican-Babel Possibly 1809

"Overthrow of the Republican-Babel" is a satirical hand-colored etching by English artist James Gillray, created in 1809. The print depicts a scene of chaos with figures falling from a tower of pamphlets and newspapers, representing the collapse of the French Republic. The artwork is a scathing critique of the French Revolution and its ideals, a theme often explored by Gillray in his political cartoons. The "Sand Hill of Opposition" is depicted as a precarious structure built of arguments and opinions, highlighting the frailty of revolutionary ideals. The image is housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it can be viewed by art enthusiasts interested in the history of political satire and early 19th-century art.