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Dido's despair, caricature making fun of Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton's relationship, 1801 (engraving)
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Dido's despair, caricature making fun of Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton's relationship, 1801 (engraving)
MMM5481908 Dido's despair, caricature making fun of Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton's relationship, 1801 (engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); National Maritime Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Dido's despair. Caricature that ridicules the relationship between Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) and Lady Emma Hamilton (1765-1815), depicting them as the heroes of the poet Virgil (70-19 BC), Aeneas, piqued by the gods and by her keen sense of duty, abandoned Dido in Carthage (Tunisia) to go found Rome (Italy), as did Nelson, after his victory To the The Battle of the Nile (or of Aboukir, Egypt, 1798) rested in Naples (Italy) in the home of Lord and Lady Hamilton, then Nelson and Emma finally returned to England, during the seventh month of her pregnancy, in November 1800, when Nelson, promoted Rear Admiral, set off again at sea on January 17, 1801. The drawing refers to the departure of Nelson, whose fleet can be seen through the window and describes Didon, obese and desperate, of the departure of her sailor to fight the French and lamenting his fate abandoned among the antiquities, referring to her old husband, who sleeps lying on the bed. Various grotesque and suggestive objects litter the bedroom, alluding to the lovers relationship and reinforcing the comparison with Virgil's couple. Etching in colors, published by H.Humphrey on February 6, 1801, by James Gillray (1757-1815).); © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Media ID 38098572
© © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London / Bridgeman Images
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This intriguing engraving by James Gillray, titled "Dido's despair, caricature making fun of Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton's relationship," captures the satirical essence of the controversial love affair between Admiral Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton in 1801. The image depicts a comical portrayal of the couple as Aeneas and Dido from Virgil's epic poem, with Nelson abandoning a distraught and obese Dido to go off to battle against the French.
The scene is filled with symbolic objects that allude to their scandalous relationship, such as grotesque and suggestive items scattered around the bedroom where Dido laments her fate. Through clever use of satire, Gillray mocks the couple's romantic entanglement while also referencing historical events like Nelson's victory at the Battle of Aboukir in Egypt.
Despite its humorous tone, this print sheds light on the complexities of love, duty, and betrayal that characterized Nelson and Hamilton's tumultuous affair. It serves as a reminder that even great heroes like Nelson are not immune to personal flaws and scandals. This engraving is not just a piece of art but a reflection on human nature itself - our desires, ambitions, and ultimately our vulnerabilities.
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