World War I recruiting poster

An earlier John Bull in which he is depicted as an actual bull.

John Bull is a national personification of the Kingdom of Great Britain created by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712, and popularized first by British print makers and then overseas by illustrators and writers such as American cartoonist Thomas Nast and Irish writer George Bernard Shaw, author of John Bull's Other Island. He is sometimes used to refer to the whole of the United Kingdom, but has not been widely accepted in Scotland or Wales as he is viewed there as English rather than British. Britannia, or a lion, is therefore used as an alternative in some editorial cartoons. Although embraced by Unionists, Bull is rejected by most nationalists in Northern Ireland as well. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (431x640, 36 KB) John Bull, World War I recruiting poster, c. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (431x640, 36 KB) John Bull, World War I recruiting poster, c. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x857, 246 KB) JOHNNY BULL and the ALEXANDRIANS (1814) By William Charles Engraving Political cartoon Source: Harpweek: http://loc. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x857, 246 KB) JOHNNY BULL and the ALEXANDRIANS (1814) By William Charles Engraving Political cartoon Source: Harpweek: http://loc. ... Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. Germania representing Germany, from 1848. ... For an explanation of terms such as Scotland, Wales, England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom, see British Isles (terminology). ... For other people named John Arbuthnot, see John Arbuthnot (disambiguation) Dr. John Arbuthnot, often known simply as Dr. Arbuthnot, (baptised April 29, 1667 – February 27, 1735), was a Scottish physician, satirist and polymath in London. ... // Events Treaty of Aargau signed between Catholic and Protestants. ... Thomas Nast (September 27, 1840 – December 7, 1902) was a famous German-American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist in the 19th century and is considered to be the father of American political cartooning. ... George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856–2 November 1950) was a world-renowned Irish author. ... This article is about the island of Ireland. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the country. ... For other uses, see Britannia (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... William Lyon Mackenzie King is freed from his Conscription promise by Johnny Canuck. ... Irish nationalism refers to political movements that desire greater autonomy or the independence of Ireland from Great Britain. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

As a literary figure, John Bull is well-intentioned, frustrated, full of common sense, and entirely of native country stock. Unlike Uncle Sam later, he is not a figure of authority but rather a yeoman who prefers his small beer and domestic peace, possessed of neither patriarchal power nor heroic defiance. Arbuthnot provided him with a sister named Peg (Scotland), and a traditional adversary in Louis Baboon (the House of Bourbon in France). Peg continued in pictorial art beyond the 18th century, but the other figures associated with the original tableau dropped away. This article is about the national personification of the USA. For other uses, see Uncle Sam (disambiguation). ... Yeoman is a word with several modern and historical meanings. ... Small beer (also, small ale) is a beer/ale that contains very little alcohol, perhaps less than one percent. ... Arbuthnot or Arbuthnott may refer to: Arbuthnot (surname), Scottish surname (and people with that name) Arbuthnot (schooner), British ship during the American Revolutionary War Arbuthnot, Saskatchewan, Canada Arbuthnott, Scotland Arbuthnot Road, Hong Kong Arbuthnot & Co, former British bank in India during the 19th century Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident, 1818 incident... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ...

Bull is usually portrayed as a stout, portly man in a tailcoat with breeches and a Union Flag waistcoat (echoing the fashions of the Regency period). He also wears a low topper (sometimes called a John Bull topper) on his head and is often accompanied by a bulldog. John Bull has been used in a variety of different ad campaigns over the years, and is a common sight in British editorial cartoons of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Bandleader Vincent Lopez in white tie, early 1920s Evening dress (also known as full evening dress) or white tie is the most formal dress code that exists for civilians today. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pants. ... Union Jack redirects here. ... A traditional waistcoat, to be worn with a two-piece suit or separate jacket and trousers A waistcoat (sometimes called a vest in Canada and the US) is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie (if applicable) and below a coat as a part of... 1811 dance dress 1811 illustration of underclothes, showing one form of Regency stays In the period 1795-1820 in European and European-influenced countries, fashionable womens clothing styles were based on the Empire silhouette — dresses were closely-fitted to the torso just under the breasts, falling loosely below. ... Duke Ellington wearing a top hat. ... For other uses, see Bulldog (disambiguation). ... Generally speaking, advertising is the paid promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas by an identified sponsor. ... This early political cartoon by Ben Franklin was originally written for the French and Indian War, but was later recycled during the Revolutionary War An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration or comic strip containing a political or social message. ...

Washington Irving described him in his chapter entitled "John Bull" from The Sketch Book: Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American author of the early 19th century. ...

"...a plain, downright, matter-of-fact fellow, with much less of poetry about him than rich prose. There is little of romance in his nature, but a vast deal of a strong natural feeling. He excels in humour more than in wit; is jolly rather than gay; melancholy rather than morose; can easily be moved to a sudden tear or surprised into a broad laugh; but he loathes sentiment and has no turn for light pleasantry. He is a boon companion, if you allow him to have his humour and to talk about himself; and he will stand by a friend in a quarrel with life and purse, however soundly he may be cudgelled."

The cartoon image of stolid stocky conservative and well-meaning John Bull, dressed like an English country squire, sometimes explicitly contrasted with the conventionalised scrawny, French revolutionary sans-culottes Jacobin, was developed from about 1790 by British satirical artists James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and George Cruikshank. (An earlier national personification was Sir Roger de Coverley, from The Spectator (1711).) For other uses, see Squire (disambiguation). ... Painted rendition of a sans-culottes. ... In the context of the French Revolution, a Jacobin originally meant a member of the Jacobin Club (1789-1794), but even at that time, the term Jacobins had been popularly applied to all promulgators of extreme revolutionary opinions: for example, Jacobin democracy is synonymous with totalitarian democracy. ... 1867 edition of Punch, a ground-breaking British magazine of popular humour, including a good deal of satire of the contemporary social and political scene. ... James Gillray James Gillray, sometimes spelled Gilray (born August 13, 1757 in Chelsea; died June 1, 1815), was a British caricaturist and printmaker famous for his etched political and social satires, mainly published between 1792 and 1810. ... Thomas Rowlandson (July 1756 - April 22, 1827) was an English caricaturist. ... Portrait of George Cruikshank Wood engraving published in Harpers Weekly newspaper March 16, 1878 A Young George Cruikshank George Cruikshank (September 27, 1792—February 1, 1878) was an English caricaturist and book illustrator. ... Roger de (or of) Coverley (also Sir Roger de Coverley and . ... The Spectator was a daily publication of 1711–12, founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele in England. ...

In a Suffragette cartoon of 1912, John Bull is portrayed looking out of the window of a house over whose door the sign says "Franchise Villa", while his wife knocks on the door, with the accompanying text: John Bull: "How long are you going on making that noise outside?" Mrs Bull: "Till you let me in, John!" (see [1]). Suffragette with banner, Washington DC, 1918 The title of suffragette (also occasionally spelled suffraget) was given to members of the womens suffrage movement, originally in the United Kingdom. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

John Bull's surname is also reminiscent of the alleged fondness of the English for beef, reflected in the French nickname for English people, les rosbifs (the "Roast Beefs"). For other uses, see Beef (disambiguation). ... A slur can be anything from an insinuation or critical remark to an insult. ...

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

John Bull

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See also

• National personification
• Britannia
• John Bull's Other Island
• Sawney
• Uncle Sam
• Marianne
• Mother Svea
• Les Dawson

Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. Germania representing Germany, from 1848. ... For other uses, see Britannia (disambiguation). ... John Bulls Other Island is a comedy about Ireland, written by George Bernard Shaw in 1904. ... Sandie or Sawney was an English nickname for a Scotsman, now obsolete, and playing much the same linguistic role that Jock does now. ... This article is about the national personification of the USA. For other uses, see Uncle Sam (disambiguation). ... Marianne busts with features of Brigitte Bardot - Catherine Deneuve - Mireille Mathieu Marianne, a national emblem of France, is a personification of Liberty and Reason. ... Mother Svea. ... Les Dawson (2 February 1934, Collyhurst, Manchester - 10 June 1993) was a popular English comedian, known for his deadpan style. ...

External references

• The British Library newspaper catalogue