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This is a drawing depicting a scene involving money and finance. It shows elaborately dressed figures engaging in the exchange of large sacks. In the background, there is a stone archway labeled "TREASURY" and various notices or documents posted on the walls. One individual is kneeling or sitting on the ground, while others are in extravagant attire.
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This is a drawing depicting a scene involving money and finance. It shows elaborately dressed figures engaging in the exchange of large sacks. In the background, there is a stone archway labeled "TREASURY" and various notices or documents posted on the walls. One individual is kneeling or sitting on the ground, while others are in extravagant attire.

National Gallery of Art · Print

A New Way to Pay the National-Debt

James Gillray

Date
1786
Medium
etching and engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 42.8 × 52.2 cm (16 7/8 × 20 9/16 in.) sheet: 46.6 × 55.5 cm (18 3/8 × 21 7/8 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
2013.170.2
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • etching
  • caricature
  • portrait
  • social criticism
  • genre
Provenance

(Andrew Edmunds, London); purchased 2013 by NGA.

Inscription

lower left in plate: Design'd by Helagabalis; lower center in plate: A New Way to Pay the NATIONAL-DEBT Dedicated to Mons. Necker; lower right in plate: Executed by Sejanus ./ Pubd April 21 1786. by Willm Holland, No 66 Drury Lane

NGA object ID 162362. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.