An Extraordinary Animal

John Doyle

24 March 1835

Lithographic engraving by Alfred Ducôte

12¾ x 9 ½ inches

Free standing print published by Thomas McLean

A zoomorphic characterization of the Irish reforming politician Daniel O’Connell as a strange hybrid, the metaphorical sign of a man who according to critics switched allegiances and – in conventional terms – ‘could be all things to all men’ in order to suit his agenda. [Commentary continues below.]

Text by Simon Cooke; image reproduced under the terms of the Creative Commons licence from the collection in the National Portrait Gallery, London [Click on image to enlarge it, and mouse over the text for links.]