"An enormously fat lady flings up arms, legs, and tea-cup in terror, as her flimsy gown catches fire from a red-hot poker falling from the grate (left). She, a stiff military officer, and a young woman sit at a round tea-table. The man sits paralysed, alarmed and helpless, spilling his tea; the girl has added to the calamity by knocking over the tea-table so that urn and tea-pot spill their scalding contents, and crockery slides towards the floor. A loutish footman enters (right) but has stopped dead, dropping a dish of muffins. A frightened cat scampers from the hearth-rug. Over the chimney-piece is a picture of Vesuvius in eruption. The woman is a monstrous creature with bare arms and elaborately dressed hair (or wig), a patterned carpet completes the design."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Text following title: Dedicated to the serious attention of the fashionable ladies of Great Britain. and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
H. Humprey, No. 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Subject (Topic):
Cats., Clothing & dress--England--1800-1810., Parlors., Tea tables (Tables), and Tea.
"1812" has been added to the publisher's statement in a contemporary hand., "Del." in the statement of responsibilty has been burnished from plate in this state as has a portion of the date "802" in the publisher's statement., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., and Title etched below image.