Treasure Seekers by SEYMOUR, Robert - 1829

London, 1829. Etching with hand coloring. Measures 14 5/8" x 10 5/8". This vibrant caricature alludes to the Catholic Relief Act of 1829, or Catholic Empancipation. The Duke of Wellington is depicted as a wizard, standing in a circle with King George IV, John Singleton Copley, and Robert Peel. The illustration features cabalistic imagery, as well as papal regalia, representing the anti-Catholicism prevalent in England at the time. A quote in the upper margin reads "yea a stick of ash, carved with proper devices, & adjurations; shall become in the hands of an adept, a power full divining wand to discover immense treasures." Old Treatise on Magic. The print is in good condition, with a repair to right margin and chip to lower left corner. Otherwise clean and bright.