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Primary sourcePainting1791

Weird Sisters: Ministers of Darkness, Minions of the Moon

James Gillray · 1791

A 1791 satirical print by James Gillray showing ministers Pitt, Thurlow and Dundas as witches, with George III and Queen Charlotte depicted as a moon face.

This satirical print mocks George III, depicted as a moon face, alongside his ministers portrayed as witches.

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Hand-colored caricature print of three bearded old men in hooded, netted cloaks, shown in profile with hands on their chins, gazing toward a crescent moon with a human face at upper right over a dark sea. Title text at bottom reads Wierd Sisters, Ministers of Darkness, Minions of the Moon.
James Gillray, Weird Sisters; Ministers of Darkness; Minions of the Moon, 1791. Deutsche Fotothek.

About this source

What it is

This hand-colored caricature, titled Weird Sisters; Ministers of Darkness; Minions of the Moon, was made by caricaturist James Gillray and published in London in 1791. It shows three bearded men in hooded, netted cloaks resembling the witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth, gazing at a crescent moon with a human face. The men represent government ministers William Pitt, Lord Thurlow and Henry Dundas, while the moon face represents George III and Queen Charlotte. It is held by the Deutsche Fotothek.

Why it matters

Political caricature flourished in Britain in this period, and satirists like Gillray openly mocked the king, his wife and his ministers. This print shows that even a reigning monarch could be a target of public ridicule and criticism in the press.

Look closer

  • Why would the artist compare the king's ministers to witches from a famous play?
  • What does depicting the king and queen as a moon face suggest about their power or influence?
  • What does this print tell you about freedom of speech and the press in Britain at this time?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of George III on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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