GILLRAY, JAMES (1757-1815), English caricaturist, was born at Chelsea in 1757. Gillray commenced life by learning let ter-engraving, in which he soon became an adept. This employ ment, however, proving irksome, he wandered about for a time with a company of strolling players. After a checkered experi ence he returned to London, and was admitted a student in the Royal Academy, supporting himself by engraving, and probably issuing a considerable number of caricatures under fictitious names. Hogarth's works were the delight and study of his early years. "Paddy on Horseback," which appeared in 1779, is the first caricature which is certainly his. Two caricatures on Rod ney's naval victory, issued in 1782, were among the first of the memorable series of his political sketches. The name of Gillray's publisher and printseller, Miss Humphrey, is inextricably asso ciated with that of the caricaturist. Gillray lived in Miss Hum phrey's house during all the period of his fame. His plates were exposed in Humphrey's shop window. A number of his most trenchant satires are directed against "Farmer Geqirge," and his court. George's comment on being shown a set of Gillray's sketches, was : "I don't understand these caricatures." Gillray revenged himself for this utterance by his "A Connoisseur Exam ining a Cooper," which he is doing by means of a candle on a "save-all"; the sketch satirizes at once the king's pretensions to knowledge of art and his miserly habits.
The French Revolution made Gillray conservative; and he issued caricature after caricature, ridiculing the French and Na poleon, and glorifying John Bull. His last work, from a design by Bunbirry, is entitled "Interior of a Barber's Shop in Assize Time," and is dated 1811. While he was engaged on it he became mad, although he had occasional intervals of sanity, which he employed on his last work. The approach of madness must have been hastened by his intemperate habits. Gillray died on June z, 1815, and was buried in St. James's churchyard, Piccadilly.
Gillray's caricatures are divided into two classes, the political series and the social. The political caricatures form a historical record of the latter part of the reign of George III. They were circulated not only over Britain but throughout Europe, and ex erted a powerful influence. In this series, George III., the queen, the prince of Wales, Fox, Pitt, Burke and Napoleon are the most prominent figures. In 1788 appeared two fine caricatures by Gillray. "Blood on Thunder fording the Red Sea" represents Lord Thurlow carrying Warren Hastings through a sea of gore : Hastings looks very comfortable, and is carrying two large bags of money. "Market-Day" pictures the ministerialists of the time as horned cattle for sale. Among Gillray's best satires on the king are : "Farmer George and his Wife," two companion plates, in one of which the king is toasting muffins for breakfast, and in the other the queen is frying sprats ; "The Anti-Saccharites," where the royal pair propose to dispense with sugar, to the great horror of the family; "A Connoisseur Examining a Cooper"; "Temper ance enjoying a Frugal Meal"; "Royal Affability"; "A Lesson in Apple Dumplings"; and "The Pigs Possessed." Among his other political caricatures may be mentioned : "Britannia between Scylla and Charybdis," a picture in which Pitt, so often Gillray's butt, figures in a favourable light ; "The Bridal Night"; "The Apotheosis of Hoche," which concentrates the excesses of the French Revolution in one view; "The Nursery with Britannia reposing in Peace"; and "The First Kiss these Ten Years" (1803), another satire on the peace, which is said to have greatly amused Napoleon.