Perspective view of the outside of the Royal Exchange in London

description below

“Exterior view of the Royal Exchange; looking down a busy street with carriages, carts and pedestrians, St Paul’s Cathedral in the distance to the left, the prominent entrance of the Royal Exchange with tower to right; in right foreground a man enters a shop with the sign “John’s Coffee”; after Loutherbourg and Chapman; published etched state.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Bartolozzi, Francesco, 1727-1815, printmaker.
  • Title: To the Right Honorable William Pitt, first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, Principal Secretary of State, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, this accurate perspective view of the outside of the Royal Exchange in London is (by permission) humbly dedicated by his most grateful, obedient, and most obliged humble servant, J. Chapman [graphic] / the delineation by Mr. Chapman, the figures by Lutherburgh, the graving of the plates by Bartolozzi.
  • Publication: [London] : Published as the act directs August 12, 1788, & sold by Mr. Chapman at Mr. Christie’s, Pall Mall, [12 August 1788]

Catalog Record

788.08.12.01++

Acquired April 2023

The whole truth, or, John Bull with his eyes opened

Caricature with Queen Caroline (left) as Lady Macbeth in the mad scene, standing in the street before two shops; she holds a candlestick raised in her right hand as she holds out her dress with her left hand, looking down horror at her skirt which is decorated with three panels with images of men and labeled “Man B”, “Austi”, “Sapio”, “Mat …”, and “Bat”. The initials “C.B” are embroidered on the trim of her knickers. Standing to her right is an astonished John Bull who holds his hat in front of his face, arm extended in horror. The shop on the left is identified by a sign below second story windows with broken glass: Wholesale Dealer in Brass Forges, Ranges, &c N.B. Odd jobs in general. The street level is shuttered, its doors covered in graffiti: Gone away, Gone abroad, Empty, M.T. The one door has a knocker in the shape of a ram’s head. John Bull stands before the second door which stands open as if he has just emerged. The windows are curtained and the building well maintained. The large sign above reads “Time & Common-Sense Occulists. N.B. Films expeditiously removed &c. Below this sign (left) is a pair of large spectacles with the two eyeballs turned towards the shop on the left and a smaller sign (right) that reads “No connexion with the next shop.”

  • PrintmakerLane, Theodore, 1800-1828, printmaker.
  • TitleThe whole truth, or, John Bull with his eyes opened [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : Pubd. by G. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s St., Feb. 1st, 1821.

Catalog Record

821.02.01.04

Acquired March 2017

Gin, two-penny & tobacco

3 women, one with a basket on her head, another smoking a pipe

Three women, two standing and one sitting smoking a pipe, converse outside a shop, ‘Fine Cordial Gin, two penny & best Virginia’.

  • Printmaker: Grinagain, Giles, printmaker, artist.
  • Title: Gin, two-penny & tobacco [graphic] / Giles Grinagain in. et fect.
  • Publication: [London] : Pub. July 25, 1802, by S. Howitt, Panton Street, Haymarkt, [25 July 1802]

Catalog record 

802.07.25.02

Acquired November 2017

At James Wheeleys Paper Hanging Warehouse

lwlpr33542 (1024x823)

A fashionable family looks at a roll of wallpaper that the shop clerk is displaying to them. The shop owner jestures to the elaborately decorated pattern on the roll. Another clerk behind the counter looks on as he rolls another bolt.

  • TitleAt James Wheeleys Paper Hanging Warehouse : wholesale retail & for exportation; at No. 25 Aldersgate Street London are manufactured & sold all sorts of emboss’d chints & common papers for rooms … [graphic].
  • Publication[London : James Wheeleys Paper Hanging Warehouse, ca. 1780?]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

File 66 780 At862

Acquired November 2015