Academics viewing a tomb inside a church

description below

description

Two gentlemen wearing academic caps stand looking at tomb effigy in a side chapel of a church. The one man who has a large belly and is gesturing toward the tomb, bears some resemblance to Samuel Johnson. To the right, man confronts a woman who seems prepared to deliver a backhanded slap with her fan.
A second drawing on the back of the sheet is of a street scene, with a carriage, horse-drawn omnibus, various couples promenading in the street with one man begging with hat in hand.

  • Artist: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, artist.
  • Title: [Academics viewing a tomb inside a church] [art original] ; [Street scene].
  • Production: [England], [approximately 1820]

Catalog Record

Drawings R79 no. 25 Box D146

Acquired May 2024

The compliments of the season

description below

A man hunched over a fire in an empty room as eight tradespeople — a chandler, a baker, a butcher, a dairy woman, a tailor, and a dustman — fight to present their unpaid bills, long scrolls of paper that they show to the bankrupt man. He responds: ‘God bless me Wot a Posse of ye – I’m very Sorry to inform ye my good Folks that I’ve just been turn’d a Bankrupt’.

  • Printmaker: Grant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, printmaker.
  • Title: The compliments of the season [graphic] / C.J. Grant.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. by Tregear, Cheapside, London, Jany. 1832.

Catalog Record

832.01.00.02

Acquired March 2024

La taverne anglaise

description below

Interior view of an English tavern, with two men dining at a table in the left foreground (their dogs beside them looking up at the food) and another man reading a newspaper at a table to the right. A fourth man stands in the right background, his back to the viewer, looking out a window. A waiter carries a plate of food from the left.

  • Title: La taverne anglaise [graphic].
  • Publication: A Paris : Chez Martinet, et presentement chez Basset Md. d’Estampes et fabricant de papiers, peints, rue St. Jacques au coin de celle des Mathurins, No. 64, [not before 1806]

Catalog Record

806.00.00.55

Acquired April 2024

Adulation, or, A coronation oration by the Jack Pudding of the nation

description below

“George IV, crowned, and with orb and sceptre, sits on a coronation chair in Westminster Abbey (right). The Archbishop, well characterized, stands beside him, holding his mitre, his right hand on the chair. On the King’s right hand stands Londonderry (Castlereagh) in Garter robes; other peers stand behind him. All watch the antics of Canning, dressed in parti-coloured clothes as a merry-andrew or buffoon. He kneels on the dais at the King’s feet, arms flung wide; at his feet is a high-crowned hat with a peacock’s feather; on the back of his tunic are the letters M P and P C. He declaims: The delight of the Nation at the Celebration of your Majesty’s Coronation, the Exultation throughout the Creation exceeds all Imagination. the Expectation to which the Anticipation of this Consumation has given occasion is beyond Contemplation; we offer the Oblation of our Congratulation, without Hesitation or Trepidation; no Tribulation can effect a Cessation of the Sensation which pervades every Station; no Situation in whatever Deprivation will utter an Execration for the Association are in Preparation to effect an Extirpation of all Defamation. We hope the Expectation of a Decollation will produce Annihilation of all Deviation from strict Regulation; we submit to Subjugation without Hesitation, and we offer our Oration with gratefull Adoration upon this Jollification. The King composedly touches (or kicks) Canning’s chin with his toe. Peeresses stand in a gallery across the north transept, holding their coronets. Above them is a second and more crowded gallery.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: Adulation, or, A coronation oration by the Jack Pudding of the nation [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. July 1821 by S.W. Fores, Piccadilly, [July 1821]

Catalog Record

821.07.00.04

Acquired September 2023

Refreshment at St. James’s

description below

Elegant and affluent customers enjoy ices in a grand room in London’s fashionable St. James’s. The female server behind the counter is elegantly dressed and looks with ease out of the window. A finely dressed gentleman leans against the counter at right, spooning ice cream into his mouth from a glass he holds in his left hand; his hat, gloves, and stick are carefully arranged on a chair next him. Two women are seated at the left side of the counter, one holding an ice cream glass and spoon. A classical fireplace on the right has additional glasses arranged upon it. A great craze in 18th-century Britain, amongst the wealthy, was ice cream. Establishments such as The Pineapple on Berkeley Square (close by St James’s), owned by Domenico Negri, offered “All Sorts of Ice, Fruits & Creams” (see the elaborate trade card in the British Museum). This print was intended as a companion piece to “Refreshment at St. Giles’s” which, in contrast, shows two women and a man being served gin by a female proprietor from a makeshift and run-down bar.

  • Printmaker: Stubbs, George Townly, -1815?, printmaker.
  • Title: Refreshment at St. James’s [graphic] / Chas. Ansell delt. ; Geo. Townly Stubbs sculpt.
  • Publication: [London] : [G.T. Stubbs], [approximately June 1789]

Catalog Record

789.06.00.01+

Acquired September 2023

A buz in a box, or, The poet in a pet

description below

“A corner of the stage at Drury Lane slants diagonally from left to right, showing part of the orchestra and pit (right) with part of two stage-boxes on the extreme right. The stage manager, Raymond, stands addressing the clamorous audience, while on the left a young man with ass’s ears sits on a donkey which flourishes its heels so that they strike the lowered stage-curtain. The donkey brays “Ih ho Ih ho Ih ho,” its hind-quarter is branded ‘My Pegasus Buz’. Its rider recites: “Nor ever here your smiles would be represt, “Knew you the rival flames that fires our breast, “Flame, Fire and Flame!–sad–woe Neddy! Ladies and Gentlemen, My Papa’s Pegasus is so full of fire and spirit that very few are capable of mounting him. for my self I never spoke but once & that was– Unce logos but if you will give me leave to get on with my Papas Monologue I am positive you will pronounce it the prettiest piece of poetry produced for the purpose.” Raymond says: “Ladies and Gentlemen, it was never the intention of the Proprietors to introduce Assess [sic] on these boards but as you seem entertained with their braying if it [is] your wish, we will procure some trainers from the other House as we are really ignorant in the management of thes [sic] Animals.” Greeted by derisive cheers from the audience, Dr. Busby, also with ass’s ears, leans from the upper stage-box, saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, only hear My Son speak my Monologue written by myself the only one fit to be heard the committee are as ignorant of good Poetry a[s] I am of true criticism. I am a great writer reviews my sons works very clever indeed–writes my own life–well worth reading–my Life of Lucius Otrigger will astonish you now pray hear my Son speak my Monologue!–.” A man behind him shouts: “Bravo! Go on! Go, on,” and one in the crowded lower box applauds: “Bravo Apollo go on Go . . .” In the foreground a man in the pit shouts pointing to the ass: “Why don’t you come down and get up behind don’t you see he wants ballast.” Six others address the son: “When you have done there–set those Epigrams to Music young Apollo!”; “Off Off Off Off”; “he will be off presently if Neddy kicks so!”; “Go on Go on”; “Speak out you should have brought your Voice with you”; “hear him hear him.” The orchestra is empty of performers, but the music scores are headed ‘The Judgement of Midas’ [O’Keefe’s play]. Three large papers lie on the stage inscribed respectively: [1] ‘A Lord [Byron] and a Doctor once started for Fame Which for the best Poet should pass The Lord was cried up on account of his name The Doctor cried down for an Ass–‘ [2] ‘Doctor Buz he assures us on Drury new Stage No Horses or Elephants, there should engage But pray Doctor Buz, how comes it to pass, That you your own self should produce there an Ass’ [3] ‘Old Buz against Quadrupeds, war did wage, And swore on Drury’s board’s such Mum’ry ne’er should pass But forcing his own Pegasus on Drurys stage The Critic Audience christen’d Buz an Ass.’ Behind Raymond is the lower part of the verd-antique pillar which flanked the curtain, and on the right the large ornate lamp, of quasi-Egyptian design in which three hawk-headed monsters support an inverted tripod, the base of a ring of lamp-jets.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: A buz in a box, or, The poet in a pet [graphic] : with a chip of the block, mounted on Papa’s Pegasus.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. Octr. 21, 1812, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [21 October 1812]

Catalog Record

812.10.21.01+

Acquired July 2023

Conjugal affection

description below

“A wealthy middle class family gathered in a room, the father standing in the centre, leaning on the back of a chair which his youngest child stands upon, embracing him, a son standing beside pointing to an open book and the mother sitting at left, gazing to right while another daughter beside plays with a kitten, a bird in a cage on table beside; at right an older son looks out anxiously at the ships on river beyond, his coat over his arm..”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Thew, Robert, 1758-1802, printmaker.
  • Title: Conjugal affection [graphic] : from the original picture presented to the city by Aldn. Boydell / painted by Robt. Smirke R.A. ; engraved by Robt. Thew, Hist. Engraver to H.R.H the Prince of Wales.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. Sept. 29, 1799, by J. & J. Boydell, No. 90 Cheapside, and at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall, London, [29 September 1799]

Catalog Record

799.09.29.01++

Acquired April 2023

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 marriage ceremony of the Prince and Princess of Wales

description below

“Interior, the Prince of Wales standing to left wearing chain and badge of the garter, right hand poised to put the ring on the finger of Princess Caroline Amelia, who kneels with hands crossed over her breast to right, a minister blessing them to right, an open book on a cushion in front of him, George III and Queen Charlotte seated in the background to left.”–British Museum online catalogue.

 

  • Title: The marriage ceremony of the Prince and Princess of Wales [graphic] : perform’d by the Archbishop of Canterbury, at the Chapel Royal, April 8th, 1795.
  • Edition: [State 2].
  • Publication: [London] : Publish’d May 16th, 1795, by John Fairburn, No. 146, Minories, London, [16 May 1795]

Catalog Record

795.05.16.01

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