Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

Freedom, Peace, Plenty, All in Vain Advance, Spurn'd by Britannia's Children, Dupes to France

ca. 1780
Not on view
Illustration for John Gifford's "The History of England from Earliest Times to the Peace of 1783," 1790, published by Harrison & Co., London. At left, Britannia holds a cap of liberty as she climbs over a French shield decorated with fleur-de-lys, and an American treaty with France to confront soldiers, with American flag flying over them. She is followed by allegorical figures holding palm leaves and a cornucopia.
The image responds to the Treaty of Alliance which the United States made with France in 1778 during the Revolutionary War, which promised military support in case of attack by British forces. It was effectively an insurance policy for France which guaranteed the support of the United States if Britain were to break the current peace they had with the French.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Freedom, Peace, Plenty, All in Vain Advance, Spurn'd by Britannia's Children, Dupes to France
  • Artist: Anonymous, British, 18th century
  • Date: ca. 1780
  • Medium: Etching and engraving
  • Dimensions: sheet: 12 3/16 x 5 1/8 in. (31 x 13 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of William H. Huntington, 1883
  • Object Number: 83.2.728
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The American Rattlesnake Presenting Monsieur his Ally a Dish of Frogs, Anonymous, British, 18th century British, Etching with watercolor
The American Rattlesnake Presenting Monsieur his Ally a Dish of Frogs
Anonymous, British, 18th century
Publisher J. Barrow
November 8, 1782
Scrapbook of Drawings and Prints, Gideon Saint British, Pen and ink, engraving and etching
Scrapbook of Drawings and Prints
Gideon Saint
ca. 1760
The Able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught, from The London Magazine, Anonymous, British, 18th century British, Engraving
The Able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught, from The London Magazine
Multiple artists/makers
May 1, 1774
The Round Tower, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons), Giovanni Battista Piranesi Italian, Etching, engraving, sulphur tint or open bite, burnishing; first state of four (Robison)
The Round Tower, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)
Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Publisher Giovanni Bouchard
ca. 1749–50
Two shillings and six pence revenue stamp, Anonymous, British, 18th century British, Embossed stamp on blue-gray paper with metal staple on vellum (recto); engraved cypher (verso)
Two shillings and six pence revenue stamp
Engraver Anonymous, British, 18th century
1765–66

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback