A mistake

description below

“On the pavement outside a pawnshop are a man selling pamphlets and a woman with household goods tied up in two handkerchiefs. The man is a ragged shambling scarecrow, tall and thin, with a battered top-hat, shock of hair, and huge whiskers (signs of dandyism). On his tall pole is a placard ‘NO POPERY’, the latter word bisected by the pole. He squints downwards, saying, ‘a full account of the Interest taken by the whole House’. The woman, stout and proletarian, wearing a red cloak and an apron, looks up at the placard, saying, ‘No Pop–ery eh? I suppose since Old Grindall’s Sons got into the Parliament, they are asham’d of their Trade–well there is plenty of other pop-ery’s about–& as to Interest they always took enough of that you ugly Scarecrow.’ On the closed shop-door (left) are the three balls sign and Pawnbrokers ‘[M]oney Lent’. In the window hang watches, &c. The cobbled roadway leads (right) towards the arched entrance of a narrow alley: ‘Poppings Court’.”–British Museum online catalogue

  • Title: A mistake
  • Creator: Heath, William, 1795-1840, printmaker
  • Published: London, 10 March 1829

Catalog Record

829.03.10.01+

Acquired October 2024

Choice fruit sir

description below

“A young woman shown half-length to right with her back to the viewer, wearing a spotted neckerchief and a straw hat over her cap, looking over her shoulder towards the viewer, holding a basket over her arm and holding up three fruits; in an oval.”–British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state

  • Title: Choice fruit sir
  • Published: London, 14 February 1792

Catalog Record

792.02.14.02

Acquired October 2024

Afternoons amusement

description below

A print showing the front elevation of a brothel, with a sign over the door “Young Ladies Educated & Board.” At the threshold of the establishment, the brothel keeper (possibly Charlotte Hayes) stands at the front door talking with a young man who holds a riding crop (possibly her common-law husband, Dennis O’Kelly.) The two windows on the ground floor show, on the left, a woman entertaining a portly gentleman, and, on the right, two pretty, young woman, one leaning out the window to view the scene at the door. In the two windows on the upper, left and center, two other women are already entertaining men (one of whom is a clergyman) while on the right, two pretty women look down at the scene on the brothel threshold. On the left, a man reads handbills in a covered alley identified as “Kings Place.” On the sidewalk (left) a pedestrian holds a monocle to his eye to better see the women; in his pocket is a paper with a title “Economical Lowe[r?]. On the sidewalk to the right, a flower girl in ragged clothes holds out a bunch of flowers to the young man addressing the madam. A woman (dwarf) crier holds a sheet titled “The Harlot’s Progress.”

  • Title: Afternoons amusement
  • Creator: Albanesi, Angelo, printmaker
  • Published: London, 30 October 1777

Catalog Record

777.10.30.02+

Acquired October 2024

Ben Holbrook, a walking stationer

description below

Benjamin Holbrook, shown full-length in profile, walking to the left, holding with a long white staff in his right hand, clutching two memorandum books in his left hand, heading towards Fleet Market, with the west front of St. Paul’s Cathedral visible in the background. His eyes being closed and the presence of the staff indicate his blindness, and the patched elbow of his three-quarter-length coat his poverty.

  • Artist: Nixon, John, -1818, artist.
  • Title: Ben Holbrook, a walking stationer [art original] / JN [monogram] fect. 1783.
  • Production: [England], [1783]

Catalog Record

Drawings N736 no. 11 Box D141

Acquired May 2024

Water cresses, come buy my water cresses

lwlpr34239 (833x1024)

“A decrepit old man stands at the door of a house of ill fame at the corner of Portland Street; Mrs Burke is on the door-plate. One hand is on the knocker; he turns to scowl at a woman (right) who holds out a bunch of water-cress from a large shallow basket slung from the hip. A child clings to her shoulders; a little girl (left) with a small basket also offers him a bunch. Two young courtesans lean from a first-floor window. In the background (right), behind a spiked gate, are trees and a large house (or houses).”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • PrintmakerMerke, Henri, printmaker.
  • TitleWater cresses, come buy my water cresses [graphic] / Rowlandson delin. ; Merke sculp.
  • PublicationLondon : Pub. Mar. 1, 1799, at R. Ackermann’s, 101 Strand, [1 March 1799]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

799.03.01.06+

Acquired March 2016

Hot cross bunns, two a penny bunns

lwlpr34238 (811x1024)

“A stout and burly woman stands at a street-door with a large basket of buns. A young woman and three children buy; the children help themselves, the woman holds a plate which she fills with buns. In the background (left) is a Georgian church with pediment and cupola; a fat parson in his surplice hurries along to escape from a woman and two children, who beg from him.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • PrintmakerMerke, Henri, printmaker.
  • TitleHot cross bunns, two a penny bunns [graphic] / Rowlandson delin. ; Merke sculp.
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. May 4, 1799, at Ackermann’s Gallery, 101 Strand, [4 May 1799]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

799.05.04.01+

Acquired March 2016