Money hunting

description below

“A fat squat and ugly woman sits on a sofa next a tall dandified officer (right) who makes his address, his hand on his breast. She turns to him complacently, her feet awkwardly resting on a stool. Their two dogs face each other, each with shape and manner corresponding with its owner. Two appropriate pictures are on the wall: Bank of England (left) and Seige of Acre (right).”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: [Money hunting] [graphic] / deigned [sic] by an amature ; etched by G. Ck.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. Jany. 10, 1823 by G. Humphrey 27 St. James’s Stt, [10 January 1823]

Catalog Record

823.01.10.02

Acquired September 2023

The Hombourg waltz, with characteristic sketches of family dancing!

description below

Members of the Royal Family at an informal dance, the centre couple being Princess Elizabeth, grotesquely stout, and the Prince of Hesse-Homburg, who grasps her dress, unable to reach her waist.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: The Hombourg waltz, with characteristic sketches of family dancing! [graphic] / Knahskiurc [that is, Cruikshank] fect.
  • Publication: London : Published May 4, 1818, by G. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s St., nephew & successor to the late Mrs. H. Humphrey, [4 May 1818]

Catalog Record

818.05.04.01

Acquired September 2023

The Graces they were culling posies…

description below

“Three grotesquely ugly old maids stoop delightedly over a Cupid who sleeps against a rose-bush, arrow in hand, his unstrung bow beside him. On the back of one sits an ape; a lap-dog is beside her. A parrot sits on the bonnet of another, the third kneels. On a mound (right) a cock stands crowing: ‘Cock a doodle doo.'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, printmaker.
  • Title: The Graces they were culling posies and found young love among the roses [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [between 1817 and 1819?]

Catalog Record

817.00.00.24+

Acquired September 2023

Case of frightful destitution

description below

“Eldon as a street-beggar kneels on both knees on straw placed on paving-stones, wearing a cap resembling those worn by butchers and the rags of a Chancellor’s gown over tattered breeches. He supports himself by a staff, and holds out his short powdered wig. Beside him (left) lies an empty and dilapidated bag inscribed The Old Bagg [cf. British Museum Satires No. 12883]. He looks down with a gloomy scowl, and from his closed lips rise the words: Pity the sorrows of a poor old man [cf. British Museum Satires Nos. 13991, 16236]–vide beggars petition, Tricked out of Work by a Soldier. Round his neck is tied a placard reaching below the waist, and inscribed: Pity a poor Old Man out of Place, at the age of 78 [76], and though extremely anxious, for employment, disappointed in, all his expectations of procuring the Same. His pension is only 4.000 P A [cf. British Museum Satires No. 10714] and not a Dinner has been dressed in his house within the memory of man! He has a wife to support, and a Son to provide for, who holds only Eight Appointments! Beside him an emaciated dog stands on its hindlegs holding a begging-dish, with a piteous expression.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker.
  • Title: Case of frightful destitution [graphic] : the fatal effects of getting out of chancery!!! / [man with an umbrella] Esq. del.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket, London, [approximately January 1828]

Catalog Record

828.01.00.06+

Acquired May 2023

Do you want any brick-dust

description below

“A pretty young maidservant stands on a doorstep (right) while a man, Irish in appearance, gazes insinuatingly into her face as he fills her bowl with brick-dust from a jar. He has an ass which stands patiently, a double sack pannier-wise across his back and a second jar or measure standing on the sack. The profile of a shrewish old woman looks through the door at the couple, who are intent on each other. A dog barks at the girl. Behind is a street, the nearer houses tall the farther ones lower and gabled. At the doorway opposite a woman appears to be giving food to a poor woman and child. A man and woman lean from the attic windows of adjacent houses to converse. A little chimney-sweep emerges from a chimney, waving his brush.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Merke, Henri, printmaker.
  • Title: Do you want any brick-dust [graphic] / Rowlandson delin. ; Merke sculp.
  • Publication: London : Pub. Feb. 20, 1799, at R. Ackermann’s, 101 Strand, [20 February 1799]

Catalog Record

799.02.20.03+

Acquired April 2023

Columbus breaking the egg

description below

Christopher Columbus demonstrating how to make an egg stand on its end. The five observers look at the cracked egg, upright on the table, in amusement at the evidence of an inventive mind at work. Two other eggs intertwined with two eels lie on a plate in the center of the table. A dog peeps over the edge of the table in the foreground; the cutlery is pushed off to one side.

 

  • Title: Columbus breaking the egg [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record

812.00.00.112 Impression 2

Acquired August 2022

High life below stairs

description below

“Interior of a kitchen showing servants at leisure: a stout woman dances with a black man in the centre accompanied by a man with a wooden leg who sits playing a violin on the left; watched by others on the right, a young woman standing on a chair and supported by a young man, while a seated man wearing a tricorn smiles and points at her and an elderly woman stands with her arms folded under her apron, a dog at her heels; two posters pasted on the wall behind, shelves, bellows and other kitchen implements in the background.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of a print of the same design.

 

  • Title: High life below stairs [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : [Carington Bowles?], [approximately 1770]

Catalog Record

770.00.00.103+

Acquired November 2022

The fruits of early industry & oeconemy

description below

“A family in a wealthy interior; an elderly man at centre, seated at a table, a glass in his left hand, holding out his right to receive coins from a younger man standing to left with his right hand on a book and a quill in his mouth; on the table, another glass, writing materials, coins and notes; to right, a woman …, supporting, and holding up a bunch of grapes for, a young child standing on a chair; looking on from behind the chair, a boy and, at right, a black servant holding a bowl of fruit, his left hand on the chair; in front of the table, a young girl lying on the carpet with a spaniel; a shipping wharf seen through an open window to left.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of another print engraved after the same painting

  • Printmaker: Darcis, Louis, -1801, printmaker.
  • Title: The fruits of early industry & oeconemy [sic] [graphic] / G. Morland pinxt. ; Darcis sculpt.
  • Publication: London : [publisher not identified], publishd. March 25, 1800.

Catalog Record

Drawer 800.03.25.07

Acquired April 2023

Country sport

description below

Print shows a man and a boy chasing a pig in the yard of a country alehouse. In the background, another man pauses to remove his hat and wipe his brow, while a fourth has evidently tripped and lies sprawling on the ground. A dog barks at the commotion.

 

  • Title: Country sport [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record

812.00.00.114 Impression 2

Acquired August 2022

Industry and oeconomy

description below

“Dock scene, a sign on the wall reads ‘Bell Wharf’: a man in a black coat and hat stands writing, resting the paper on a crate, looking to right at a young man with a neck-tie, who stands beside a man carrying a sack, giving an account, hat in hand, while gesturing to another man who brings a barrel up the steps and talks to a man in a rowing boat, alongside to right, with wife and two children to left.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of another print engraved after the same painting.

  • Printmaker: Darcis, Louis, -1801, printmaker.
  • Title: Industry and oeconomy [graphic] / H. Singleton pinxt. ; Darcis sculpt.
  • Publication: London : [publisher not identified], publishd. March 25, 1800.

Catalog Record

800.03.25.06 Impression 1

Acquired April 2023