The National Parachute Possibly 1802

Editor: So, here we have James Gillray’s “The National Parachute,” possibly from 1802. It’s an etching with watercolor, and I’m immediately struck by how precarious everything seems! Two figures are floating above a rather turbulent landscape in what’s labelled a 'Sinking Fund' basket beneath a contraption littered with the word 'Interest.' What's your take on this piece? Curator: Precarious is precisely the word. Gillray was a master of satire, you know, and this print…well, it's like a visual grenade aimed at the politics of his time. See that “National Parachute” festooned with “Interest”? To me, it reads as a rather cynical commentary on the perceived follies of British financial policy. Do you recognise the gentleman in the basket being conducted to 'Plenty Emancipation?' Editor: I’m not sure I do recognise him… Curator: That's John Bull. That cloud he's riding through is one heck of a financial tempest, fuelled by – let's be frank – a rather hot-air balloon of national debt! A nation held aloft – somewhat unstably – by complicated and potentially unsustainable finances... What is most remarkable to me is Gillray's humour and depth. He really puts you in the moment, doesn't he? I always feel I’m clinging to the edge of that very basket. Editor: That's a good point; now I see the precariousness so clearly! Curator: The detail is exquisite too, a veritable feast if you enjoy delving into socio-political visual texts. The seemingly gentle watercolor style somewhat disarming, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Definitely! Thanks for pointing out some of these political connections; it makes it so much richer. I’ll never look at interest rates the same way again! Curator: Isn’t it wonderful how a single image can pack so much history and commentary, a bit like looking at a political weather forecast of centuries gone by?