Satire.- Williams (Charles) Original preparatory drawing for the satirical print 'Property protected. A la francoise', pen and brownish black ink, black chalks, on laid paper with watermark date '1796', sheet 270 x 440 mm (10 5/8 x 17 1/4 in), mounted onto thin conservation tissue support, some slightly rough edges, handling creases, finger-soiling and surface dirt, mainly in the four corners, unframed, 1798; together with an impression of the published print, Property protected. A la francoise, etching with original hand-colouring, sheet 270 x 425 mm (10 3/4 x 16 3/4 in), trimmed within the platemark, handling creases and surface dirt, central vertical fold, unframed, SW Fores, 1798 (2)

Literature:
BM Satires 9224

⁂ America is shown as a handsome young woman wearing quasi-classical draperies and a coronet of feathers, and is being plundered by five Frenchmen, satirising the negotiations of the American envoy in Paris, October 1797.

The preliminary drawing has several additions and variations to the print, but most notably the seated John Bull on the cliffs of Dover in the background of the print, is shown with Union Jack flags and a cannon in the drawing; similarly the buildings in the lower left corner of the drawing, are replaced with the sacks of 'Private plunder for the Directors' in the print.