The Mock Phoenix!!! Or a Vain Attempt to Rise Again

This hand-colored etching by Thomas Rowlandson presents a biting satire of Napoleon Bonaparte in the aftermath of his failed Russian campaign. The title and imagery evoke the myth of the phoenix, the legendary bird that burns itself to ashes before being reborn. In classical mythology the phoenix symbolized regeneration and eternal life, and in Christian art it became a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. Rowlandson’s "mock phoenix," however, subverts that meaning. Here, Napoleon's attempt to rise from the flames of defeat is rendered ridiculous rather than heroic. His transformation becomes one of vanity and delusion rather than renewal and triumph.

The inclusion of a Cossack figure and a Dutch figure adds a layer of historical context. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Cossacks of Russia were among the forces that pursued Napoleon's army out of Russia after the disastrous 1812 campaign. They became legendary across Europe for their ferocity and independence, and their presence in this print symbolizes Russia's decisive role in Napoleon's collapse. The Dutch figure, on the other hand, represents one of the European nations freed from French control after years of Napoleonic occupation. His act of fueling the flames with a bellows illustrates the idea that Napoleon's enemies were hastening his final destruction.

Rowlandson's exaggerated figures heighten the sense of spectacle. The vivid hand-coloring emphasizes the blaze and Napoleon's frantic gesture toward the sky, perhaps parodying the mythic phoenix's upward flight. A leading figure in the "Golden Age" of British satirical caricature, Rowlandson used this art form to expose political arrogance and human folly. His work captured the turbulent spirit of early nineteenth-century Europe and its shifting perceptions of power, empire, and decline.

This print transforms the ancient phoenix myth into a political allegory. Instead of rising renewed, Napoleon's attempt to ascend ends in ridicule and collapse. Rowlandson's "mock phoenix" stands as a reminder of the futility of unchecked hubris and the swift reversal of fortune that often follows for those who soar too high.