"Gaetan Vestris (right) giving a dancing lesson to a gigantic goose with a human head and long pigtail queue. They face each other in profile. Vestris stands with his legs together, chest thrown out, his arms curved. "Regardez-moi" was his characteristic admonition. On a stool behind the goose is an open book inscribed "Electrical E. E. L."; on the ground at its feet is another inscribed "The Torpedo. Dedicated to Ld------C------. My Lord, I take the Liberty------ The greatness of whose Parts are known. . ." . This indicates that the goose is Lord Cholmondeley (1749-1827), "The Torpedo, a Poem to the Electrical Eel addressed to Mr John Hunter Surgeon" and "Dedicated to . . . Lord Cholmondeley," 4th ed. 1777, was a coarse and scurrilous poem, three lines of which are, "What tho' Lord Ch--lm--d--ly may conceal A most enormous length of Eel Admir'd for Size and bone:"In the wall which forms the background are two sash-windows and a door (left) round which a grinning youth, probably a servant, is looking. On the wall are half length portraits: three in ovals of elderly ladies in profile, one of a clergyman, full-face, wearing a biretta, his left hand on a book. There is also a picture of Fox, with a fox's head, seated opposite Cholmondeley; they are throwing dice. Fox appears satisfied, the other clenches his fist and exclaims in anger. A devil is climbing on the top of the frame and holds out a claw to grab the head of Fox. On the picture are the words "A Nick by God". Like Fox, see BMSat 5972, Cholmondeley held a faro bank at Brooks's. G.E.C., 'Complete Peerage'."-- British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
CtY-LW, Printmaker and date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Title from text at bottom of image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Cholmondeley, George James Cholmondeley,--Marquess of,--1749-1827--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Vestris, Gaëtan,--1729-1808--Caricatures and cartoons.
Subject (Topic):
Clothing & dress--England--1780-1790., Dance., Geese. , and Interiors--England--18th century.
The Bow Street magistrate and campaigner against gambling, Sampson Wright, is shown seated at a table being assailed by a man who has entered the door on the right. On the left another man (probably meant to be John Bond, Wright's clerk) expresses alarm, and on the right a dismayed youth wipes away a tear.
Description:
Printmaker and date of publication from British Museum catalogue. and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Bond, John,--active 1782--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Wright, Sampson,--Sir,---1793--Caricatures and cartoons.
Subject (Topic):
Clothing & dress--England--1780-1790., Gambling., Interiors--England--18th century., Judges--England--London--18th century., and Threats.
Depicts on the right the German dancing master Jansen playing the fiddle, as his pupil faces him with raised right arm and hat in left hand, a smaller youth standing sleepily on the left.
Alternative Title:
Maitre de ballet allemand
Description:
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue. and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
H. Humphrey, No. 18 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Subject (Topic):
Clothing & dress--England--1780-1790., Dance., Interiors--England--18th century., and Violins.