Satiric print about the emancipation of the Jews of Westphalia by King Jerome
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 10.125 inches (25.718 cm) | Width: 15.625 inches (39.688 cm)
Creator(s)
- Peter Ehrenthal (Compiler)
- Charles Williams (Printer)
- George M. Woodward (Artist)
- Thomas Tegg (Publisher)
Biographical History
The Katz Ehrenthal Collection is a collection of more than 900 objects depicting Jews and antisemitic and anti-Jewish propaganda from the medieval to the modern era, in Europe, Russia, and the United States. The collection was amassed by Peter Ehrenthal, a Romanian Holocaust survivor, to document the pervasive history of anti-Jewish hatred in Western art, politics and popular culture. It includes crude folk art as well as pieces created by Europe's finest craftsmen, prints and periodical illustrations, posters, paintings, decorative art, and toys and everyday household items decorated with depictions of stereotypical Jewish figures.
Archival History
The etching was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by the Katz Family.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Katz Family
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
In early July 1807, following Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories over the Prussians at Jena and Auerstädt, and the Russians at Friedland, France signed the Treaties of Tilsit with both nations in Tilsit, Prussia (now Sovetsk, Russia). France and Russia became allies, while Austria and Prussia were divided up between them. From part of the region, Napoleon created The Kingdom of Westphalia, where he installed his brother Jerome as King. The region was struggling financially, prompting Jerome to seek out financial support. He tried to win favor and support with the wealthy Jewish community in his Kingdom by removing many of the restrictions forced on the Jews of Westphalia. He officially removed these restrictions on January 27, 1808. The depicted image is from September 1807, during the time when he was trying to win favor with the community. The Jews are depicted with stereotypical features, like large, pointed noses, fleshy lips, and pointed beards, while the King is similarly depicted, though in reality he was considered to have more classical features. The image plays on the commonly mocked theme of Jewish people enjoying ham, which was forbidden to them. Furthermore, by having the King decree that the ham was now called venison, the artist is poking fun at the Jews and at the actions taken by the King to win their financial backing. The etching is one of the more than 900 items in the Katz Ehrenthal Collection of antisemitic artifacts and visual materials.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Hand-colored print of an etching depicting a king standing on a raised dais in front of a throne on the left beneath a canopy with a carved pig on the top. He is a diminutive, bearded man with a pointed nose and fleshy lips, and wears a crown, a medallion, and purple robe. He is standing in right profile, his right hand holding a scepter and his left extended as he addresses 8 men. All of the men have long, shaggy brown hair, pointed beards, fleshy lips, and large pointed and hooked noses. Three of the men wear formal attire, and the rest are dressed in long, neutral-colored robes. They are seated on benches at a long table and eating meat cut from what appears to be a ham hock on a large platter. Along the front, on the left end, a man in left profile is talking to the king. To the right, 2 men in colorful tailcoats converse as a fourth man watches. Along the back, on the left, a man faces forward and speaks, while 3 men to his right look toward him. On the bottom right, there are 2 hats with a cane, a paper bundle marked bonds, and sack with a tag labeled old clothes. The title and publication information are printed along the bottom. There is a large green stain and stray, handwritten markings on the back.
front, bottom right, handwritten, pencil : Rg2i back, bottom right, handwritten, pencil : (0496) / 244 x 345 / 10759
People
- Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia, 1784-1860.
Subjects
- Jews in art.
- London (England)
- Antisemitism in art.
- Antisemitism--Great Britain--19th century--Pictorial works.
- Westphalia (Germany)
- Jews--Caricatures and cartoons--Great Britain--19th century.
- Stereotypes (Social psychology) in art.
- Jews--Great Britain--19th century--Pictorial works.
Genre
- Etchings.
- Art
- Object