James Gillray was born in London in the Chelsey district. His father was Scottish and a war veteran. The young Gillray learned the profession of letter engraver and was later accepted as a student at the Royal Academy, working as an engraver time and again to finance his studies and livelihood. From a very young age he was interested in caricature, he especially loved William Hogarth, a very famous caricaturist of the 18th century who was his great idol. Very soon Gillray also began to publish caricatures himself, albeit at first under a fictitious name. Only little by little did drawings with his name appear. For many contemporaries and even today James Gillrey is considered "the father of political and social caricature". Of course, he also lived in a time of great political and social upheavals and also in a time when caricature as an important means of expression for depicting events and their interpretation became fashionable and suitable for the masses. Gillrey's intellect, his wit, his sometimes pitch-black humour and his gift for observation, but also his great talent for drawing made his works unique.
In his private life he was not so successful and happy. He suffered from arthritis or gout in his hands at a younger age, which caused him great pain, and his vision was also increasingly poor. Disabled in his work, he became melancholy and increasingly addicted to alcohol. James Gillray did not start a family either, but he probably lived with his publisher Hannah Humphrey for many years and thought about marrying her from time to time. At least contemporaries ascribe a relationship to the two and it is a fact that Hannah Humphrey took care of Gillray after he wanted to take his own life by jumping out of a window in 1811. He survived, but was repeatedly confronted with severe depressions and psychoses. In 1815 the artist died at the age of only 58 years. Among collectors the caricatures of James Gillray are still very popular. Key prints such as "Fashionable Contrasts" and "Light Expelling Darkness" have already fetched prices of 10,000 to 20,000 US dollars at auctions.
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.jpg "The Plum Pudding in Danger or State Epicures Taking a Little Supper, published 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Nelson")
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.jpg "A Voluptuary Under the Horrors of Digestion, July 2, 1792 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Grand Coronation Procession of Napoleon I, Emperor of France, from the Church of Notre-Dame, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Württemberg-style Kiss, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1797 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "National conveniences, 1769 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "New Morality, or The Promised Installment of the High Priest of the Theophilanthropes by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Germans Eating Sauerkraut by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Destruction of the French Colossus, 1798 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-161499).jpg "Dido in Despair, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1801 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fashionable Contrasts, or The Duchess")
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.jpg "John Bull Taking a Luncheon, or British Cooks, cramming Old Grumble-Gizzard with Bonne-Chere, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1798 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-297654).jpg "Tales of Wonder, published by H. Humphrey, London, 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fighting for the Dunghill or Jack Tar Settling Buonaparte, pub. 1798 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The First Kiss in Ten Years! or The Meeting of Britannia and Citizen François, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Cockney and his Wife going to Wycombe, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A new way to pay the National Debt, published 21st April, 1786 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Disciples catching the Mantle: the Spirit of Darkness overshadowing the Priests of Baal, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1808 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-391925).jpg "A Masonic Anecdote, published 1786 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "John Bull and The Sinking Fund - a Petty Scheme for Reducing the Taxes and Paying Off the National Debt, published by H. Humphrey, London, 1807 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The National Parachute, or John Bull conducted to Plenty and Emancipation, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Grand Coronation Procession of Napoleon, the 1st Emperor of France, from the Church of Notre-Dame, 2nd December 1804, published 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The National Parachute or John Bull conducted to Plenty and Emancipation, published 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The First Kiss this Ten Years! Or the meeting of Britannia and Citizen Francois, pub. 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "New way to pay the national debt. Caricature, 1786 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "John Bull and the Sinking Fund or A Pretty Scheme for Reducing Taxes and Paying off the National Debt, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1807 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A New Way to Pay the National Debt, published by W. Holland in 1786 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A keen-sighted Politician warming his Imagination, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Gillray cartoon on vaccination against Smallpox using Cowpox serum, 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The National Assembly, or Grand Cooperative Meeting at St. Ann")
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 Taking Leave of his Wife and Family 1793 - (MeisterDrucke-90947).jpg "Louis XVI (1754-93) Taking Leave of his Wife and Family, 1793 by James Gillray")
 Taking Leave of his Wife and Family 1793 - (MeisterDrucke-90947).jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-41804).jpg "The Plum Pudding in Danger, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Shadow of a Duke, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "“The Blood of the Murdered Crying for Vengeance”, the execution of Louis XVI (1754-93) by guillotine, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-248554).jpg "Irish Gratitude, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1782 by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-146558).jpg "Disciples catching the mantle - the Spirit of Darkness overshadowing the Priests of Baal, published 1808 by James Gillray")
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_(bundw_photo)_-_(MeisterDrucke-37204).jpg "John Bull")
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_-_English_cart_-_(MeisterDrucke-934003).jpg "A Masonic Anecdote - by James Gillray (1757-1815) - English cartoon against Count Cagliostro (Alessandro, Count of Cagliostro, Giuseppe Balsamo) by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Cow Pock or the Wonderful Effects of the New Inoculation by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Taking Physick - or - The News of Shooting the King of Sweden! by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Political Amusements for Young Gentlemen, or The Old Brentford Shuttlecock, between Old Sarum and the Temple of St. Steevens, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1801 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Monstrous Craws, at a New Coalition Feast, pub. 1787 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "National Conveniences, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1796 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Lover")
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.jpg "The National Conveniences (description and comparison of toilets in England, Scotland, France and Holland) by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-968096).jpg "National Conveniences, published 1796 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A new way to pay the National Debt by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Devil to Pay: The Wife Metamorphos")
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.jpg "The Kiss at Württemberg by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Cockney Sportsmen Shooting Flying by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Britannia")
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.jpg "The Bear and his Leader, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1806 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Peep at Christies, or Tally-ho, and His Nimeney-Pimmeney Taking the Morning Lounge by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Prophet of the Hebrews: the Prince of Peace conducting the Jews to the Promised Land by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Tiddy-Doll the great French Gingerbread-Baker, drawing out a new Batch of Kings, 1806 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-230558).jpg "The Finishing Touch, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1791 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Patriots Deciding a Point of Honour! or An exact representation of the Rencontre which took place at Coombe Wood on May 2nd 1807 between Little Paul the Taylor and Sir Francis Goose by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1128008).jpg "Georgey a")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-384210).jpg "Design for the Naval Pillar, 1800 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Boxing Match between Thomas Futrell and John Jackson, June 9th 1788 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The National Assembly petrified, and The National Assembly Revivified, published by S.W. Fores in 1791 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Pillar of the Constitution, Published by Thomas McLean, 1835 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Scientific Researches! New Discoveries in Pneumatics! or An Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air, Cartoon of a Lecture at the Royal Institution Demonstrating the Effects of Laughing Gas by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-207534).jpg "A Pig in a Poke, Published by S.W. Fores in 1788 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Political Candour, i.e. Coalition")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-194699).jpg "Cupid, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1799 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Taming of the Shrew: Katherine & Petruchio; The Modern Quixotte, or what you will by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Pizarro contemplating over the product of his new Peruvian Mine, 1799 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-167153).jpg "Egyptian Sketches by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Dido")
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.jpg "The Comforts of a Rumford Stove, 1800 by James Gillray")
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_or_The_Assassination_of_Marat_(1743-93)_by_Charlot_-_(MeisterDrucke-1403642).jpg "A Second Jean d")
_or_The_Assassination_of_Marat_(1743-93)_by_Charlot_-_(MeisterDrucke-1403642).jpg)
.jpg "The Vulture of the Constitution, Published by Hannah Humphrey in 1789 by James Gillray")
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 mounting fr - (MeisterDrucke-270422).jpg "The High Flying Candidate (i.e Little Paul Goose) Mounting from a Blanket by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Cockney and His Wife Going to Wycombe by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fall of Icarus by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-253343).jpg "Following Fashion by James Gillray")
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_published_by_Hannah_Humph_-_(MeisterDrucke-185733).jpg "Portrait of Charles Howard, Duke of Norfolk, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1800 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Leaving off Powder, or A Frugal Family saving the Guinea, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Shakespeare Sacrificed or The Offering to Avarice, 1789 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Old England, New France, The Contrast, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1796 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Balance of Power or The Posterity of the Immortal Chatham, turns Posture Master by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Cockney Sportsmen Marking Game by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Sir Richard Worse-than-Sly, Exposing his Wife")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-38827).jpg "Dido in Despair, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1801 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A New Way to Pay the National-Debt by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Lieutenant Governor Gall-Stone, Inspired by Alecto, or The Birth of Minerva by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Cockney Sportsmen Finding a Hare by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-301784).jpg "Waltzer with Handkerchief by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Portrait of an Irish Chief, drawn from life at Wexford, pub. by H. Humphrey, 10th July 1798 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-392123).jpg "A Witch upon a Mount")
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.jpg "A Scotch Poney, commonly called a Galloway, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Worn Out Patriot, or The Last Dying Speech of the Westminster Representative at the Anniversary Meeting on Oct 10th 1800, held at the Shakespeare Tavern by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Titianus Redivivus or the Seven Wise Men Consulting the New Venetian Oracle, a Scene in Academic Grove No.1 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Balance of Power, or The Posterity of the Immortal Chatham turned")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-74521).jpg "The Comforts of a Rumford Stove by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Bonaparte hearing of Nelson")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-320939).jpg "United Irishmen in Training by James Gillray")
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