James Gillray (1757-1815) was an artist and satirist who produced many cartoons. He is one of the most famous of his genre and described by Feaver as “surely the greatest of all English caricaturists”. Born 1757 his early days were spent as an apprentice to a city engraver. After a spell with some travelling players he enrolled at the Royal Academy under the leading engraver of the day, F. Bartolozzi. Moving into the the works of political satires gained him notoriety and by 1798 it was said the whole of London viewed “Gillray with a mixture of approval and fear”. He worked for Hannah Humphrey’s amongst others finally working exclusively for her living and working in the shop in St. James’s Street for the rest of his life. “He was the first truly professional caricaturist”. This example of his famous caricature of England and Wales is a later impression. Feaver “Masters of Caricature” pp. 53-4.