A Review of the New Grand Army

Art Historical Context

In 1815, amid the dramatic final chapter of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule during his Hundred Days' return from exile, British caricaturist William Heathworking under the pseudonym "Paul Pry"—created this hand-colored etching titled *A Review of the Grand Army*. The print satirizes Napoleon's hastily assembled forces, likely featuring Joachim Murat, his flamboyant cavalry marshal and brother-in-law, reviewing alongside a devilish Napoleon. Hand-coloring, a hallmark of Regency-era satire, adds vivid humor and bite, transforming simple etched lines into a colorful caricature that mocked French military pretensions. Printed in the tense months leading to Waterloo, the artwork captures British glee at Napoleon's vulnerabilities. Tags like "Soldiers," "Napoleon I," "Devil," and "Satire" highlight its barbed wit: ragged troops and infernal figures lampoon the "Grand Army" as a far cry from its glory days. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, it exemplifies how prints democratized political commentary, circulating mockery across taverns and homes. This etching not only reflects anti-Napoleonic fervor but also Heath's sharp style within the golden age of British caricature, blending exaggeration with timely relevance for a public hungry for laughs amid war's shadow.

About the Artist

Joachim Murat|William Heath ('Paul Pry')|Napoléon Bonaparte ( |British|French) · 1767 |1794 |1769 – |1840 |1821

French, 1767–1815|British, Northumbria 1794/95–1840 Hampstead|French, Ajaccio 1769–1821 St. Helena