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 un Petit Souper, pub. 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Voluptuary Under the Horrors of Digestion, July 2, 1792 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "John Bull Taking a Luncheon, or British Cooks, cramming Old Grumble-Gizzard with Bonne-Chere, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-297654).jpg "Tales of Wonder, pub. H. Humphrey, London, 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Le Baiser a la Wirtembourg, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1797 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-161499).jpg "Dido in Despair, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Destruction of the French Colossus by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fashionable Contrasts, or The Duchess")
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.jpg "The Grand Coronation Procession of Napoleon the 1st Emperor of France, from the Church of Notre-Dame by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fighting for the Dunghill or Jack Tar settling Buonaparte by James Gillray")
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.jpg "National Conveniences, 1769 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-391130).jpg "Georgey in the Coal Hole by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Gillray Cartoon on Vaccination Against Smallpox Using Cowpox Serum 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 Valley of the Shadow of Death by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-170051).jpg "Punch Cures the Gout, the Colic, and the Tisic by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Duet:")
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.jpg "Punch Cures the Gout, the Colic, and the Tisick, 1799 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Accommodating Spouse; Tyrant")
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.jpg "The Pic-Nic Orchestra by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Comforts of a Rumford Stove, 1800 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Allied Powers Un-Booting Egalite by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Enter Cowslip, with a Bowl of Cream, Published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Sketch of the Interior of St. Stephen")
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.jpg "Sans-Culottes Feeding Europe with the Bread of Liberty, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Gout by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-41804).jpg "The Plum Pudding in Danger, 1805 by James Gillray")
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_(see_191204_-_(MeisterDrucke-226030).jpg "Despair, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Modern Hospitality, or A Friendly Party in High Life, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1792 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Dress Completed, plate three of Progress of the Toilet by James Gillray")
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.jpg "French Liberty. British Slavery by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Cognocenti Contemplating Ye Beauties of Ye Antique by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Oh, That This Too, Too Solid Flesh Would Melt, Quotation from Hamlet, Act I. Scene I, Designed for the Shakespeare Gallery, Published by H. Humphrey, London, 1791 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Feast of Reason, and the Flow of the Soul - i.e. The Wits of the Age, setting the Table in a Roar by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Zenith of French Glory, - the Pinnacle of Liberty, February 12, 1793 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Plumb-Pudding in Danger, or State Epicures Taking un Petit Souper, February 26, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Balance of Power, or The Posterity of the Immortal Chatham turned")
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.jpg "The First Kiss in Ten Years! or The Meeting of Britannia and Citizen Francois, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The American Rattle Snake, 1782 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fall of Icarus by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-230013).jpg "A Tub for the Whale! by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Modern Belle going to the Rooms at Bath, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1796 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-392119).jpg "A Sphere projecting against a Plane, pub. 1792 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Spanish Bull Fight, or The Corsican Matador in Danger, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1808 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1798 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Sir Richard Worse-than-Sly, Exposing his Wife")
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.jpg "Light Expelling Darkness - Evaporation of Stygian Exhalations, or The Sun of the Constitution rising superior to the Clouds of Opposition, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-177644).jpg "The Comforts of a Rumford Stove, pub. 1800 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-158012).jpg "The House that Jack Built, published by Walker by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Apotheosis of the Corsican Phoenix, Published by Hannah Humphrey in 1808 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "View of the Hustings in Covent Garden - The Westminster Election November 1806, pub. 1806 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Bank Notes - Paper Money - French Alarmists - ah! poor John Bull! published by Hannah Humphrey in 1797 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Following the Fashion: St. James")
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.jpg "Dilettanti Theatricals, or A Peep at the Green Room, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Tree of Liberty with the Devil Tempting John Bull by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Standing-dish at Boodles, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1800 by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-184135).jpg "Integrity Retiring from Office! by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Harmony before Matrimony, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Reception of the Diplomatique & his Suite, at the Court of Pekin, 1792 by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-73037).jpg "Presages of the Millennium, published 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Maniac Ravings, or Little Boney in a Strong Fit, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Le Diable-Boiteux, or The Devil upon Two Sticks Conveying John Bull to the Land of Promise, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1806 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Fall of Icarus, 1807 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Spanish Bull Fight or the Corsican Matador in Danger, pub. 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Soldiers Return, or Rare News for Old England, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1791 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-278653).jpg "Wha Wants Me, Published by Hannah Humphrey in 1792 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-163556).jpg "A Decent Story, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1795 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Siege of the Column of Pompey, Science in the Pillory by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Phaeton Alarm")
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.jpg "High Change in Bond Street, ou la Politesse de Grande Monde, pub. 1796 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Tirailleur Francais et Chevau Leger de l")
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.jpg "Gentle Emetic, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Austrian Treatment of the French Envoys, 1799 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Praetor Urbanus")
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.jpg "Spanish-Patriots Attacking the French-Banditti, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1808 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Exit Liberté a la Francois! or Buonaparte closing the Farce of Egalité, at St. Cloud near Paris November 10th 1799, pub. 1799 by James Gillray")
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 published by J Wright and inscribed For ye Anti-Jacobin Review 1798 (etching with e - (MeisterDrucke-146027).jpg "Two Pairs of Portraits, Presented to all the Unbiased Electors of Great Britain, by John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) published by J. Wright and inscribed")
 published by J Wright and inscribed For ye Anti-Jacobin Review 1798 (etching with e - (MeisterDrucke-146027).jpg)
.jpg "God Save the King- in a Bumper, or An Evening Scene Three Times a Week at Wimbleton by James Gillray")
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 poisoning the sick at Jaffa 1799 - (MeisterDrucke-215901).jpg "Napoleon Bonaparte poisoning the sick at Jaffa by James Gillray")
 poisoning the sick at Jaffa 1799 - (MeisterDrucke-215901).jpg)
.jpg "Horrors of the Irish Union: Botheration of Poor Pat, or A Whisper across the Channel, published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Former Occupations, or Madam Talian and the Empress Josephine Dancing Naked before Barrass in the Winter of 1797 - a Fact! 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 "A Dash up St. James Street, Published by Hannah Humphrey by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Tub for the Whale by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Comforts of a Bed of Roses by James Gillray")
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.jpg "End of the Irish Invasion, or The Destruction of the French Armada, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1797 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "German Luxury, or Repos a l")
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.jpg "The Genius of France Triumphant – or – Britannia petitioning for Peace, Vide. The Proposals of Opposition, 1795 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 "William Pitt Playing the Parliament, 1797 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Lady Godiva")
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.jpg "Judge Thumb, or Patent Sticks for Family Correction Warranted Lawful, pub. 1782 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Meeting of the Monied Interest: Constitutional Opposition to 10 percent, or John Bull")
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.jpg "Political Mathematicians Shaking the Board bottomed Hemispheres, pub. 1807 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Parisian Ladies in their Full Winter Dress for 1800 by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-176596).jpg "Progress of the Toilet - The Wig, early 19th century by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Siege de la Colonne de Pompee, or Science in the Pillory, published by H. Humphrey in 1799 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Gout, 1799 by James Gillray")
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