Balaam,--or the Majesty of the People

1783

James Gillray, Artist Douglas K. Semivan, Printer

Not On View

Balaam,--or the Majesty of the People: 1 of Collection Gallery

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title Balaam,--or the Majesty of the People

Artwork Date 1783

Makers James Gillray (Artist) English, 1756-1815 Douglas K. Semivan (Printer) American, born 1949

Medium Etching printed in black ink on laid paper

Dimensions Plate: 9 7/8 × 13 7/8 inches (25.1 × 35.2 cm) Sheet: 18 × 24 inches (45.7 × 61 cm)

Classification Prints

Department Prints, Drawings & Photographs

Credit Gift of Draper Hill and Douglas K. Semivan

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. F1983.251

Markings

Signed Signed, on plate, lower left: J Gilllay fecit

Inscriptions Inscribed, on plate, in a banner from the mouth of the man at the left: We Farmers have our Bodys Eat up, for the good of our Souls Inscribed, label for each of three tails of the whip: Pious Fraud, English Statutes, Popish Canons Inscribed, label on basket: Tithes Inscribed, on banner from mouth of uniformed man: I am an Independant [sic] Country Gentleman & Colc of the Militia Inscribed, lower right: Pubd April 10th 1783 by W Humphrey N, 227 Strand. Inscribed, lower, BALAAM,--or the MAJESTY of the PEOPLE. The Lord open'd the Mouth of the Ass, &c. Inscribed, in pencil, on verso, lower left: Pulled APRil 10 1983 . D.K. SEMIVAN

Marks Watermark, upper right: of Richard de Bas mill.

Provenance

1983-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

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Provenance page

Exhibition History

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Published References

George, M. Dorothy, CATALOGUE OF POLITICAL AND PERSONAL SATIRES, London: British Museum.

Hill, Draper, THE SATIRICAL ETCHINGS OF JAMES GILLRAY, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1976.

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

James Gillray, Balaam,--or the Majesty of the People, 1783, etching printed in black ink on laid paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Draper Hill and Douglas K. Semivan, F1983.251.