Ghezzi and Townshend Heads

In addition to the full length profile drawings that came virtually to symbolize caricature for English audiences, both Ghezzi and Townshend produced head and shoulder caricature portraits that Gillray is likely to have seen. In the world of caricature, the face in profile was traditionally understood as the most unique and revealing view of a subject. So it is not surprising that Gillray's first attempts at portrait caricature would have begun with head and shoulder views.