This is a rather rare antique satirical or political print - with all the Brexit arguments - it is perhaps never more appropriate to a modern audience.
The print is a very rare etching on copper made by the printmaker C.N. Downard - and taken from the oil painting "Tug of War" which was made by Harding Cox in 1885.
I am not sure of the narrative of the print - but I think that the tug of war relates to the acquisition of African colonies at the end of the 19th century.
The image features dog representing European nations - we have:
Two skinny Frenchmen (as poodles) and one Portuguese hound on one side of the tug rope and on the other is one jolly Englishman (or bulldog) - who is licking or beating all three!
Frame size: 27 x 51 cm. Image size: 15 x 41 cm.
This original antique etching is in fabulous condition (a couple of light and tiny brown foxing spots near the middle but not disfiguring and commensurate with age). Please use the zoom facility to look at my photographs in close-up.
As you can see in my photographs - it is very nicely presented with a new clean window mount and a new simple black frame - it is all ready just to hang on your wall.
Etched prints after Cox's painting are now hard to find - and the condition and the rarity are reflected in my asking price. There seem to be a few later coloured re-strikes on the market at the moment. There appears to be hardly any of these original 1885 Downard etchings for sale.
My price is certainly a fair one for this interesting historical illustration.
In the UK it will be sent to you with Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery. This will be applied to your order at checkout.