‘A Dying Swan’ (13 March 1837). A lithographic design drawn by John Doyle and engraved by Alfred Ducôte for the print publisher, Thomas McLean. 9½ x 12 ¾ inches. Doyle relished allegorical pictures charting politicians’ fall from favour, this time showing John Cam Hobhouse’s declining relationship with John Peel in what is supposed to be a political swan song. The sketchy lines reflects the pressure of time as Doyle struggled to keep up with the events of the turbulent 1830s; often issuing three prints on a single date, it was inevitable that the execution would sometimes be rushed.
Text by Simon Cooke. Image reproduced from the collection in the National Portrait Gallery, London, under the terms of the Creative Commons licence.
Created 15 November 2023