Allegory on Oliver Cromwell, Crispijn van de Passe (II), 1652

Allegory on Oliver Cromwell, Crispijn van de Passe (II), 1652

engraving, h 399mm × w 265mm More details

Oliver Cromwell, the victor in the English Civil War, is shown as a tyrant – oppressing the French, Dutch, Irish and Scots. He is mocked for his love of money: he is being crowned by a mythological winged beast (a griffon), which conveniently produces gold coins from its backside, a detail that is disingenuous, to say the least, since who would not be pleased to possess such a pet?