HistoryExtra Podcast – "James Gillray: Life of the Week"

Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Rachel Dinning
Guest: Historian and presenter Alice Loxton

Episode Overview

This episode explores the life and legacy of James Gillray, often hailed as the father of the political cartoon. Rachel Dinning and historian Alice Loxton discuss Gillray's rise in late Georgian London, his uniquely biting satirical style, his partnership with businesswoman Hannah Humphrey, and the enduring influence of his caricatures—especially his depiction of Napoleon—on how we still see figures of power and scandal today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Tumultuous World of Late Georgian London

• Backdrop:

  • The 1790s were "dramatic," full of social and political upheaval:
    • Characters like Duchess of Devonshire (Georgiana), William Pitt the Younger (PM), King George III ("Farmer George"), and the debauched future George IV.
    • Events: Madness of King George III, American Revolution, French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars.
  • Alice: “This is a time of immense drama… the illness or madness, whatever you’d like to call it, of King George III threw the country into turmoil… US Independence… the French Revolution was kicking off... So a really turbulent time.” ([03:04])

• Satire's Role:

  • A satirist like Gillray had endless material.
  • Prints fed off mass anxiety, gossip, and scandal.

2. Who Was James Gillray?

• Early Life & Skills:

  • Born 1756, Chelsea; strict Moravian Christian background.
  • Talented from youth—trained at the Royal Academy.
  • Attempted but failed to break into elite painting.

• Printmaker’s Rise:

  • Shifted into satirical prints in London’s burgeoning print trade.
  • “Gillray’s immense skill... was applied to what was perceived as low art. And this created an entirely new genre... these beautifully depicted, brilliantly created satirical prints would be on display in the print shop windows in London.” (Alice, [07:30])
  • Print shops became focal points; new prints caused “veritable madness…Beatlemania of the day.”
  • Anyone could be targeted—public figures or ordinary people.

• Enduring Impact:

  • Though less recognized among high artists, Gillray was far more widely seen.
  • “When we think about the millions of views that Gillray got with his work that was displayed in public... he was far more influential in terms of people perceiving art.” (Alice, [10:08])
  • Modern cartoonists and shows (e.g., Spitting Image) cite Gillray as a major influence.

3. The Role of Hannah Humphrey—Business and Courage

• Behind-the-Scenes Hero:
  • Humphrey was Gillray’s publisher and manager—“the Simon Cowell of the day.”
  • Managed multiple shops in central London.
  • “She really was a successful businesswoman. She had to be reactive to the news… these prints would be produced within a day.” (Alice, [15:19])
  • Sometimes satirized dangerous targets (royalty, aristocrats); risk of prison for seditious content.
  • Some who were mocked would still buy the prints—or even hope to be featured!

4. Censorship, Propaganda & Political Influence

• Risk of Backlash:
  • Other radical printmakers faced prison; sometimes jail became hubs for further radicalism.
  • “Printmakers… don’t really tend to have much allegiance. But we know that certainly Gillray, during the period of Napoleon’s great threat, was supported by the government… making propaganda…” (Alice, [17:58])

5. Gillray vs. Napoleon: Shaping a Legacy

• Napoleon’s Image
  • Gillray’s portrayal—“Little Boney”—solidified the myth of Napoleon’s shortness, distorting public perception for centuries.
  • Memorable print: Maniac Ravings or Little Boney in a Strong Fit shows Napoleon as a tantrum-throwing toddler.
    • “It really is a toddler depicted here… and this is the character that is created and solidified...” (Alice, [20:06])
  • Plum Pudding in Danger (1805) showing Pitt and Napoleon carving globe-shaped pudding, each claiming part for their nation; one of the most imitated cartoons ever.

6. Gillray’s Artistic Genius and Visual Language

• Bringing Subjects to Life:
  • Unique for dynamic, lively depictions—breaking passive conventions of the time (e.g., his portrait of opera singer Elizabeth Billington).
    • “She’s got her hand… on her chest... her mouth is wide open, cheeks rosy pink… singing her heart out—doing that amazing thing.” (Alice, [24:08])
  • Surrealism:
    • “It’s really surreal… Dali-esque… like a wine cellar of politicians as bottles, or a toadstool upon a dunghill…” (Alice, [25:43])

7. Decline and Aftermath

• Sad End:
  • Deaths of prominent public figures and loss of eyesight led to Gillray's decline.
  • Cared for by Humphrey; possible romance.
  • Attempted suicide, died June 1, 1815. Overshadowed by Waterloo’s news: “There’s pretty much nothing [reaction]… the Battle of Waterloo was about to unfold several weeks later, so it kind of gets swallowed up…” (Alice, [28:20])
  • Victorians later censored or destroyed much of Gillray's work for being scandalous, leading to lasting historical neglect.

8. Gillray’s Modern Influence

• Immortal Visual Templates:
  • The format of Plum Pudding in Danger is constantly repurposed—Gillray’s "DNA" runs through every political cartoon.
  • “Cartoonists… will use [his images] as a format and just insert new figures... And if you go to the Cartoon Museum or talk to any famous cartoonist today, they know exactly who Gillray is—he’s really their hero.” (Alice, [30:38])
  • His satirical tone and sense of chaos offer a more vibrant insight into Georgian reality than pristine Austen adaptations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the power of satire:
  “These prints could be so, so powerful. And that’s why they were so electrifying to people to see… because they were brilliantly funny. And funny is effective.”
  — Alice Loxton ([08:24])

• On Gillray’s impact compared to elite painters:
  “Gillray was far more influential in terms of people perceiving art… He was essentially the meme-maker for the Georgian age.”
  — Alice Loxton ([10:08])

• On Napoleon’s mythic shortness:
  “Where does that come from? Well, that comes from the satires of people like James Gillray and Thomas Rowlandson… It is these prints which are so effective… that they have this… very powerful legacy.”
  — Alice Loxton ([21:53])

• On Hannah Humphrey’s crucial business role:
  “We don’t often think about women in the Georgian period as being amazing businesswomen, but she really was…”
  — Alice Loxton ([14:50])

• On Gillray’s place in modern satire:
  “If you go to the cartoon museum or if you… talk to any famous cartoonist today, they will know exactly who Gillray is—he really is their hero.”
  — Alice Loxton ([31:13])

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 01:55 – Main episode start; introduction to James Gillray
• 02:40 – Context: The world of late Georgian London
• 05:00 – Who was Gillray? Early life and entry into satire
• 09:15 – Influence vs. elite artists; prints as “Georgian memes”
• 14:19 – Hannah Humphrey’s role
• 17:25 – Censorship, politics, and Gillray’s allegiances
• 18:55 – Portrayal and legacy of Napoleon
• 23:35 – Favourite works and the surreal, vibrant quality of Gillray’s satire
• 26:50 – Decline, depression, and Gillray's death
• 30:33 – Gillray’s legacy and modern influence

Conclusion

Rachel Dinning and Alice Loxton deliver an energetic, vivid portrait of James Gillray—not just as a founding figure in political satire, but as a subversive artist whose work shaped British humour, political discourse, and our visual vocabulary for scandal and power. Gillray's iconic imagery, business partnerships, and willingness to challenge authority mean his influence endures, even if history tried to erase him. As Alice Loxton puts it: “He really is their hero” for cartoonists and satirists to this day.

For more, check out Alice Loxton’s six-part video series on the Georgians and her book Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London.