Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist James Sayers. It dates from 17 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print by James Sayers was made in 1788. It’s an allegory, a kind of picture that tells a story in symbols.
The scene mocks a real event. It shows three men trying to wake up dead politicians during a famous trial. The men are Charles Fox, Thomas Powys, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
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Overview
James Sayers’ 1788 print, titled “Opposition’s Attempt to Raise the Dead,” is a satirical allegory produced in London. Executed as a single‑sheet print, it was issued by the publisher Thomas Cornell. The work caricatures a contemporary political episode, employing symbolic imagery to comment on the impeachment proceedings against Warren Hastings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts three prominent opposition figures—Charles James Fox, Thomas Powys and Richard Brinsley Sheridan—engaged in a futile effort to revive deceased politicians. This visual metaphor critiques the opposition’s attempts to resurrect the political influence of those already removed from power during Hastings’ trial.
Technique & Style
Created as an engraved print, Sayers utilizes line work and exaggerated facial features to heighten the caricature. The allegorical format allows for the inclusion of symbolic elements, while the crisp detailing typical of late‑18th‑century British prints underscores the satirical tone.
History & Provenance
First published in London by Thomas Cornell shortly after its completion, the print circulated among politically engaged audiences of the period. It entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains documented as part of the museum’s print holdings.
Context
The work responds to the 1788 impeachment of Warren Hastings, the former Governor of Bengal, a highly publicized legal battle that divided Whig and Tory factions. By portraying leading Whig opponents as attempting to resurrect dead politicians, Sayers comments on the perceived futility and theatricality of the opposition’s strategy.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Sayers was a specialist in satirical prints that mocked British politics in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
