Saturday Satire: “A Cognocenti contemplating ye beauties of ye antique”

The aging ambassador Sir William Hamilton, an antiques enthusiast and antiquarian, reviewing his vast collection. The particular antiques portrayed in this cartoon have a double meaning: each is symbolic of the scandalous public affair Hamilton’s wife Emma shared with war hero Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Satirized by: James Gillray (1757-1815)
Title: “A Cognocenti contemplating ye beauties of ye antique”
Date Published: 1801
Context: According to Historical and Descriptive Account of the Caricatures of James Gillray (Wright & Evans, 1851):

A portrait of the celebrated antiquary and diplomatist, whose lady figures in the preceding print. It is not difficult to guess the allusions in many of the articles he is contemplating. Lady Hamilton as Cleopatra, and Nelson as Mark Antony, with himself in the character of Claudius—he was a great lover of the table—are the pictures which adorn the walls.

The images hanging in the wall show “Cleopatra” (Emma Hamilton without a top on and holding a bottle of gin), “Mark Antony” (Nelson in his uniform), then a volcano (presumably meant to represent their sexual escapades, this one is likely Mt. Vesuvius, which was very near the Hamiltons’ home in Naples, where she first rendezvoused with Nelson. Volcanoes were another one of Sir William’s passions), then “Claudius” (Sir William; an elderly man with his back to the two lovers). The antiques on the table are mostly phallic references to Emma and Nelson as well. Sir William enjoyed Nelson’s company and turned a blind eye to the affair (the three even lived together for some time), which is reflected by his nonchalant attitude depicted in this portrayal. For more information on this scandalous ménage à trois of sorts, read my previously posted article, “Lady Emma Hamilton and her ‘Attitudes’.”