A Tub for the Whale! c. 1806

James Gillray made this hand-colored etching, ‘A Tub for the Whale!’ in England, at the turn of the 19th century. It’s a satirical comment on the political events of his time, in particular the naval hero Sir John Bull. The print uses strong visual metaphors. Here, Bull’s ship of state is tossing barrels to a whale to distract it from attacking. These barrels are labelled ‘real naval merit’ and ‘uninflated reputation,’ suggesting that Bull is sacrificing actual virtue for political expediency. Above, you can see ‘power’ as the sun shining through storm clouds, and raining down 'ridicule' onto the whale. Gillray’s art offers a critical perspective on the institutions of power. We can better understand this by delving into the political history of the time. Research into the history of political satire and the biographies of the figures he lampooned would reveal the nuances of his critique. Only then we can appreciate the sharp wit with which Gillray challenged the status quo.