Military Caricatures

'Journal de l'Empire ou des Débats - Suivant les Evènements'

Hand-colored engraved caricature; figure of man with ass's ears dressed half in uniform and livery of the Empire and half in Restoration uniform and Scottish kilt.
Artist and publisher unknown; published in Paris in ~1815.

'Noddle Island, or How we are decieved' (sic)

Hand-coloured engraving caricature; woman with enormous headdress containing forts, soldiers, ships, flags, etc.
S.T (artist), Mary Darley (London publisher); 1776.
(Noddle Island - East Boston - was the site of the 2nd battle of the American Revolution and the first in which American artillery was used. [source])

'Contrasts Pl. 1st - Ancient and Modern Lancers'

Hand coloured etched caricature (by and after Heath);
William Heath (artist), Thomas McLean (publisher); ~1830 to 1834.

'A Russe'

Hand coloured etched caricature; giant head of Turk at left, biting off coat-tails of Russian officer fleeing at right.
William Heath (artist), Thomas McLean (publisher); 1828.
[Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829*]

'An Allegory'

Hand colored etched caricature; uniformed figure of Russian tsar astride eagle which is depositing cage over turkey at left.
William Heath(artist), Thomas McLean (publisher); 1828.
[Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829*]

'Chacun son Tour, ou la Fin du Roman'

Hand-colored engraved caricature; allegorical figure and soldiers, outdoors, with large candle-snuffers, eagle flying above; evidently pro-Bonapartist.
Notes: Honneur et Patrie. Constitutionelle. Maison Militaire du Roi. Guardes du Corps, Mousquetaires, Cent Suisses. Ordonnance Royale sur les Processions donnée la 20 cme année du notre règne. Censure pour la liberté de la presse. Ordre de St. Michel. Ordre Militaire de St. Louis. Décoration du Lys.
Artist unknown; dated ~1815.

'Coalition de 1806 - La Grande Armée* Agrandit Bien des Nez'

Hand-colored engraved caricature; French soldier at right pulling elongated nosed of figures of England, Sweden, Russia and Prussia at left.
Notes: George III. Voleur et assaissin sur mer, pousse contre la France les Rois coalisés, il s'éfforce mais vainement de relever ce pauvre Frie. Guillaume 3. Roi de Prusse dont la situation seroit digne de pitié si elle n'étoit aussi bein méritée. Les griffes ou serres de vautour données à Georges indiquent sa rapacité et la queue de dindon annonce sa betise.
Artist unknown, JJ Rousseau (publisher); undated but ~1806 to 1810.

'Congress of Vienna'*

Hand-coloured unsigned engraving caricature; rulers toasting each other before map of Europe, figures of numerous kings, officers, Jewish money-lenders etc. at right, victorious and overpowered heraldic eagles and beasts, arms etc. above and below.
H Delius (artist), Hermes Wilhelm (publisher); ~1815.

'Zemévid Europy vpátém desetili Devatenáctého Véku Landkarte
von Europa im fünften Decenium des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts'

Partially coloured lithographic humorous map of middle and southern Europe, with many small caricature military figures.
Artist unkown, Fr. Síra (publisher); ~1850.

'Dal Braccio Vostro Almi Sovrani Attende Italia Assassinata'

Hand-coloured engraving caricature; Bonaparte and cohorts laden with loot etc. walking into jaws of hell at right, Italy pleading before throne of Britain and allies at left.
Artist and publisher unknown. Published in Milan in 1799.

'Effusions of a Pot of Porter, or Ministerial Conjurations for Supporting the War'

Hand coloured aquatint caricature; tankard of ale foaming over on top of barrel, mounted figure above, seen from rear, summoning evil winds and storms.
James Gillray (artist), H Humphrey (publisher); 1799.

'General Jackson Slaying the Many Headed Monster'

Lithographic cartoon; Andrew Jackson, van Buren and assisting personage in uniform battling with serpent with numerous caricature heads.
Artist unknown, Henry R Robinson (publisher); 1833.

'Quadrille - Evening Fashions - Dedicated to the Heads of the Nation - La Poule'

Hand-coloured engraved caricature; ladies and gentlemen (1 in hussar uniform) dancing, all with exaggerated hair styles.
William Heath (artist), Thomas McLean (publisher); 1827.

'Military Dandyism, or A Specimen of Hungarian Taste..'

Hand coloured engraved caricature; full-length figure in very exaggerated lancer uniform and headgear with profuse embroidery, enormous epaulettes and plume, etc.
Artist and publisher uknown; published in ~1815 to 1820.

'Promenade au Palais Royal'

Coloured line and stipple-engraved caricature; 3 very corpulent personages, one in uniform, walking together.
'G' (artist), publisher unknown; ~1814.

'The Republican Soldier'

Hand-coloured etched caricature; stout soldier in [French] Revolutionary military uniform, laden with numerous weapons.
Notes: "Inflammetory [sic] harrangues to stir up the people to acts of sedition. Mutiny. Treason. Rebellion" ; "Hedd [sic] quarters. Craven anchor [crossed out]. Crown & anchor. Parole reform. Countersign--anarchy" ; ""Remonstrance from my constituents for non-attendance" ; "Fire is the best weapon you can use" ; "Sinew of rebellion"
Artist and publisher unknown; published in 1798.

'What are you staring at, eh? Did you never see a Grenadier before?'

Etched caricature; figure of Grenadier Guards drummer with enormous busby.
Artist and publisher unknown; published in 1830.

' "Who said rats!" 12th Lancer'

Original watercolor caricature on olive paper signed by T. George; uniform figure in profile striding toward right.
T George (artist); produced in 1894.



Prints, Drawings & Watercolors from the Anne SK Brown Military Collection [Brown University Library Center for Digital Initiatives].
(The images above - some background cleaned - are a sampling from the >700 results from searching on 'caricature')

This is a seriously enormous and exemplary collection and you can spend hours browsing. The images can be seen with a non-flash zoom viewer or modestly large versions can be downloaded.

"This ambitious multi-year endeavor will digitize the 15,000 individual prints, drawings, and watercolors from The Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection. The artwork vividly documents all aspects of military and naval history, with emphasis on the history and illustration of world military and naval uniforms from the 17th century to the present. In addition to the material on military and naval dress, this digital collection includes portraiture, caricatures, wartime posters, original photographs, and graphics on military and naval history in general, campaigns and battles, the arts and tactics of warfare, drills and regulations. There is a vast amount of material pertaining to military decorations and insignia, heraldic ornaments, armor, weaponry, equitation, flags, knightly orders, court and ceremonial dress, architecture, and the general history of costume. [...]

The prints, drawings, and watercolors are a significant part of The Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, the foremost American collection devoted to the history and iconography of soldiers and soldiering, and one of the world’s largest collections devoted to the study of military and naval uniforms. It was formed over a period of forty years by the late Mrs. John Nicholas Brown (1906-1985) of Providence and is still growing. Anne Seddon Kinsolving Brown began collecting in 1930 with the purchase of miniature lead soldiers manufactured in Europe and Great Britain. By 1950 her interest had shifted to other areas of militaria, chiefly the iconography of uniforms. Armies have traditionally been the focus of much satire and depictions of soldiers, particularly their uniforms, provide valuable information to the student of military dress. Mrs. Brown was no exception. She acquired large numbers of caricatures from all periods and countries including many original drawings and watercolors."