Introduction of Citizen Volpone & His Suite, at Paris.–Vide, The Moniteur, & Cobbetts Letters 1802

James Gillray made this hand-colored etching, "Introduction of Citizen Volpone & His Suite, at Paris," around the turn of the 19th century. It satirizes the social and political climate of revolutionary France. Gillray uses exaggerated caricature to mock Napoleon, depicted as a small, vain figure, and his associates, presenting them as greedy and sycophantic. The title references Ben Jonson’s play "Volpone," in which the main character feigns illness to swindle gifts from greedy would-be heirs, implying corruption within the French Directorate. The scene is set in Paris, the center of revolutionary fervor, but the opulence on display clashes sharply with the revolution’s stated ideals of equality and fraternity. The print is a commentary on the perceived hypocrisy of the French regime, critiquing the ways in which revolutionary ideals were being undermined by personal ambition and greed. We can use sources like contemporary newspapers and political pamphlets to better understand the complex relationship between Britain and France. This work reminds us that art's meaning is always tied to the time and place in which it was made.