The Rights of Man; or, Tommy Paine, the Little American Taylor, Taking the Measure of the Crown

What it is

An etched caricature made by Isaac Cruikshank in 1791, held by the British Museum. It shows a small, hunched tailor figure with scissors at his side, kneeling and holding a measuring tape up to a giant crown.

Why it matters

The print mocks Thomas Paine, who had worked as a corset-maker before becoming a revolutionary writer, by depicting him as a lowly tailor presuming to 'measure' the British monarchy for reform. It reflects how Paine's radical ideas in works like Rights of Man provoked ridicule and fear among supporters of the British crown, who tried to undermine him by mocking his humble trade background rather than engaging with his arguments.

Look closer

• Why does the artist choose to depict Paine as small and hunched, and with his old trade tools?
• What does this image suggest about how the British establishment viewed Paine's political ideas?
• Why might making fun of someone's past job be used as a political weapon?