A fiery demon representing the chaos of the Paris Commune and more generally, the infernal results of the ideals of the French Revolution. Coloured etching by G. Cruikshank, 1871.

London : George Cruikshank; London (Strand) : W. Tweedie; London (King St., Covent Garden) : J. Paul; London (St James's St., Pall Mall) : F. Harvey, June 1871.

1 print : etching, with watercolour

The leader, of the Parisian blood red republic, or the infernal fiend! Liberty, equality, fraternity. Atheism or a disbelief in a God. Seizure of all property and death to all who oppose the red republic ... Lettering continues: An awful lesson to the world for all time to come! The blood red cap of liberty manufactured in 1789 and made red with blood in 1790-91-92-93. [Being blown out of creature's mouth:] Blasphemy. Ignorance. Foolery. Ignorance. Folly. Blasphemy. [On bottles on belt:] Brandy. Petroleum. [At bottom of image:] Fifty thousand slaughtered dead bodies of men women & children, lying in Paris at the end of May 1871 & part of the city destroyed by fire !!!. [Text under image:] For no deeds more fiendish, were ever perpetrated in the history of man, than those committed & caused by the "red republicans" in the late revolt. It was these ignorant drunken brutes who in a great measure, brought about the war with Germany, which has ended in the dishonor of their country in tens of thousands of their fellow countrymen being killed or wounded & also the death or injury of many women & children, and by their insane attempt to hold Paris & rule France, they have further caused the slaughter of thousands of men, women & children - as well as the destruction of their city & many of its treasures and by misleading women & driving them mad with drink, have caused them to act in such a way, that the enraged soldiers in their fury, have shot down & slaughtered women of Paris, young & old! as if they were wild beasts!!!- As there is a "red republican" party in this country, some national means should be taken to show these mistaken men that - such plans if carried out, would not only destroy the laws of civilized society but also be subverting the laws of nature. And therefore a law should be passed to make it criminal for such insane principles to be advocated

Wellcome Collection 18167i