An ass bearing the head of the Lord Mayor, John Key, carries a lantern around its neck and a heraldic coat as it kicks its back legs up in the air. Lithograph, ca. 1830.

Satire on political reform

The lantern bears the words 'reform'. To the left are a group of dancing men who declare 'three cheers for Don key and social order' outside a building with the words 'WA reform'. To the right is a building with a large key on the outside and the words 'bankrupt's sale, sold here a key to the new bill to render it intellible'. Two further men outside the building chant 'remember remember the 9th of November' as a firework rockets up in to the air. In the foreground a notice lies on the floor declaring 'radical reform association ... meeting ... mansion house Don Key'. Don Key, alias the ass, announces 'Oh yes oh yes! This is to give notice that a general illumination will take place on Wednesday in honor of reform, e-haw e-haw -'

Don Key refers to John Key, Lord Mayor of London in 1830 who was one of the leading supporters of the Reform Bill in the city, and received the unusual honour of re-election to the mayoralty in the following year

[Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1830?]

1 print : lithograph ; image 26.1 x 37.4 cm

Luminous Don Key Verse below: 'Tis hard to forbear with the idle to stare/at pictures that seem wery witty, But the pranks of an ass, these pictures suppass/when a donkey illumines the city'

Wellcome Collection 590137i