The western prospect of Bears-Den Hall in Co. Surrey

description below

View of a house supposedly near Putney Common, satirically called ‘Bear’s Den Hall’, a rickety house with cracked plaster walls and a chimney-stack with broken brick, and with weeds growing from the cracks and on the roof. A key at the top references many of the features of the scene, including a bear is chained by the front door (B) at the left, birds in flight (K). The property is separated from the road in the foreground by a wicket fence, with a satircial armorial crest along the lower edge with portraits of Charles Christian and Skelton.
Satire on social pretensions: a view of a dilapidated cottage set into a garden behind a wooden fence, with a mock coat-of-arms at the bottom.–From variant state in the British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Reisen, Charles Christian, 1680-1725, printmaker.
  • Title: The western prospect of Bears-Den Hall in Co. Surrey [graphic].
  • Edition: [State without Greek motto at bottom of image].
  • Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], [approximately 1720]

Catalog Record

720.00.00.106

Acquired November 2023

Amusements des Anglais à Paris

description below

“A grossly obese John Bull and his lean and ugly wife, both wearing hats, sit on upright chairs, gormandizing. The man holds a whole chicken to his mouth, taking a huge bite. The woman (left) faces him, biting a large melon which she holds with both hands to an enormous mouth. He is morosely savage, she is melancholy; both are gap-toothed. On the ground (right) by the man’s chair are collected a ham or gigot, a large irregular (?) galantine, a raised pie: ‘pâté de périgueux’, a huge jar of ‘vin de lafitte’ round which four bottles are grouped: ‘frontignac’, ‘Clos de Vouge[ot]’, and ‘. . . seac’. Beside the woman are a basket and tray filled with grapes, peaches, and pears. Through a wide doorway (left) the street is seen with a seated fruit-seller who serves three grotesquely hideous Englishwomen. Two are lank and emaciated, one tries to stuff a big peach into an immense mouth, holding an armful of grapes and peaches; the other gnaws at a bunch of grapes held in both hands. The third, also with bulging cheeks, bites a peach. The fruit-seller’s tray is empty; she holds out her last peach. All the women wear small absurd hats or caps, tight long-waisted bodices (coloured) with long white skirts (cf. No. 12359).”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: Amusements des Anglais à Paris [graphic].
  • Publication: A Paris : Chez Martinet, Libraire, Rue de Coq St. Honoré, [between 1814 and 1815]

Catalog Record

814.11.00.01

Acquired April 2024

Frontispiece to Useful Knowledge

description below

A sheet with 25 vignettes in roughly five rows, each with a humorous or satirical scene or a visual pun and each captioned with names of trades, industry, or arts. At the center of the page is a caricature of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham in his long, curl wig and a collar, holding a broom in his left hand, with the caption “The Title page and Index” below. One of many such frontispieces of the period mocking the political and educational movements bringing information and knowledge to the working classes.

  • Title: Frontispiece to Useful Knowledge [graphic] / W. Newman invent.
  • Publication: London: Pubd. by G.S. Tregear, Cheapside,[between 1833 and 1835]
  • Manufacture: [London] : Printed by R. Redman

Catalog Record

833.00.00.18

Acquired December 2023

Coming out of a country theatre

description below

A large crowd of theatregoers file out of a theater and onto the street in a pouring rainfall and high winds that turns umbrellas inside out. One man has fallen and broken his lantern as a woman falls back over him as her shoes are being changed. The audience is a mix of classes, couples, old women, young boys, some carrying lanterns, one with a cane.

  • Artist: Byron, Frederick George, 1764-1792, artist.
  • Title: [Coming out of a country theatre] [art original] / F.G. Byron 1802.
  • Production: [England], [1802]

Catalog Record

Drawer Drawings B995 no. 2

Acquired April 2024

Iohn Bull refreshing the bears memory

description below

“John Bull, a sturdy citizen, displays to the Tsar who is a crowned bear on its hind-legs (left), an enormous open book: ‘John Bulls Journal’. This rests on the ground, and reaches to John’s chest; he points to the right.-hand page: ‘The Great the Magnanimous Catherine of Russia seized upon One third of the Kingdom of Poland and Kept it to herself – These Peaceful Danes Seiz’d on the City of Hamburgh.’ He says: “So you say Master Bruin, that my visit to Denmark has no parallel in History- do be so good as to turn your spectacles to this page and refresh Your Memory.” The bear peers gloomily through huge spectacles at the page. Round his neck is a collar: ‘This Bear belongs to Napoleo[n]’.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Isaac, 1764-1811, printmaker.
  • Title: Iohn Bull refreshing the bears memory [graphic] / Cruickshank [sic] sct.
  • Publication: London : Published by T. Tegg, 111 Cheapside, Decr. 20, 1807.

Catalog Record

807.12.20.01+

Acquired February 2024

A king-fisher, and a water-wag-tail

description below

A caricature of George IV fishing on Virginia Water, using his scepter as a rod, watched by a kingfisher and a wagtail. On the end of his line is a frog, which is being netted by Lady Conyngham, his mistress.

  • Title: A king-fisher, and a water-wag-tail [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. Jul. 13, 1826, by J. Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, [13 July 1826]

Catalog Record

836.07.13.01+

Acquired September 2023

Bull bamboozled both ways

description below

Wellington (as Constable of the Tower of London) holds a pistol to the head of John Bull, as Henry Goulburn (Chancellor of the Exchequer) harangues Bull from the other side, forcing John to reach into his pockets to pay for the rebuilding of the Tower of London, seen burning in the background.

  • Printmaker: Grant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, printmaker.
  • Title: Bull bamboozled both ways – robbed in one department, and burnt out in another [graphic] / C.J.G.
  • Publication: London : Printed and published by B.D. Cousins, 18, Duke-Street, Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, [after 30 October 1841]

Catalog Record

841.10.30.01++

Acquired February 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

From the West Indies

description below

“Five passengers sit together on a bench against the side of a ship, all but a small boy, seemingly a mulatto, manifesting misery or resignation. The others (left to right) are a woman shrouded in black except for her chin, a planter in a long coat and broad-brimmed hat, his wife’s arm through his. A fat and hideous negress, awkwardly asleep. The deck is level.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Artist: Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, artist.
  • Title: From the West Indies.
  • Publication: [England?] : [publisher not identified], [early 20th century?]

Catalog Record

900.00.00.02

Acquired February 2024

Supplementary cavalry and infantry

description below

“A design in two compartments; above, cavalry proceed right to left; below, infantry march left to right. [1] A burlesqued procession of men variously mounted. The leader, dressed as a light horseman and holding up a sabre, rides a horse with blinkers, trampling on a hen and chickens and leaving a dead pig behind him. He says: “Know all Men by these presents that if any accidents happen I do not Consider myself accountable for them after thus publiccally Warning every Person to keep within doors all all [sic] their live and Dead Stock!!” The next horseman, whose hat flies off, turns to shout: “Hollo there, some body be so good as to catch my hat.” He is followed by a silent man riding a bull. Next him a man threatens with his sword a ragged boy on an ass: “What are you at you young scoundrel are you going to ride over the Captain keep in your rank you.” The boy answers: “What d’ye mean by that I have as much right here as you.” A man clasps his horse’s neck, saying, “Curse the Horse how he Prances.” Behind the ass, the horse of a man in civilian dress falls on its knees, throwing its rider, who says: “D——n the chimney Sweeper I thought he’d be over us.” A rider (horse visible) shouts “Take care of the Apple Stall”, while an old woman throws up her arms, shouting, “O Dear Mr Soldier dont ride over me.” She is in danger from a man in regimentals, gauntlet gloves, and wearing a sword, but whose horse has blinkers. A man turns to him, saying, “D——n me you’ll kill the old woman.” He answers: “What signifies that charge her to the parish.” The last of the procession is a yokel in a smock, on a horse with blinkers and collar. He rides down a pig and poultry; his neighbour turns to him, saying, “Mind what you are hat – you Sir in the Blue Frock if you kill the Pigs it will be actionable.” He answers : “Then let them keep out of the way of the Sarvice.” [2] An unsoldierly group march with bayoneted muskets, preceded by two boys with fife and drum. The officer, wearing a gorget and holding up a sword, scowls at a man behind him who raises his leg so high as to kick him, saying: “None of your tricks Jack dont Fancy you are in the shop now”: the grinning offender is addressed by a man wearing a Grenadier’s cap who marches beside him: “Mind what you are about or you will be had before a Court Martial”. A man with tipsily closed eyes says, “I’m as giddy as a goose.” A short, fat, elderly man in civilian dress says, “Warm work my Masters”. His neighbour answers, “Nothing when you are used to it”. A man wearing an apron rests his musket horizontally on his shoulder, saying, “This is the way to march”; he spikes the hat of the man behind, who shouts: “What are you at you fellow in green are you going to poke peoples eyes out”. A stout man says, “When I kept the tripe Shop in the Borough who would have thought I should have rose to be an Insign.” Beside him walks a woman with a bottle and glass shouting, “Does any Gentlemen in the front ranks want a drap of good Gin.” A Grenadier marches beside the last couple looking contemptuously at a man in a shirt who says: “By goles this thing [musket] is so heavy it’s the best way to drag it along and not carry it.” The last man, who is bandy-legged, says, “I donna much like it.”.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Isaac, 1764-1811, printmaker.
  • Title: Supplementary cavalry and infantry [graphic] / Woodward delint.
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. January 1st, 1797, by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, corner of Sackville St., [1 January 1797]

Catalog Record

797.01.01.03+

Acquired February 2024