"The instrumentalists are closely grouped round the armchair of the father of the family, a stout man in old-fashioned dress, who sits full face singing loudly, an open music book on his knees, his feet supported on the bar of his chair. His very fat wife sits beside him (right) blowing a trumpet to the grotesque inflation of cheek and neck. The eldest daughter (left) plays the double-bass; behind her stands a girl beating a tambourine. The younger children flank the design: a fat little girl (left) plays the triangle, looking up at her sister's tambourine. On the right a little boy sits at his mother's feet beating a large kettle-drum and shouting; he sits on two large volumes: 'Doctor Burneys Musical Travels [i.e., The Present State of Music in France and Italy ... 1771', and 'The Present State of Music in Germany . . . [etc.]', 2 v. 1773]. Mother and daughters are fashionably dressed; the daughters are comely. A howling dog seated on the extreme left adds to the impression of violent noise."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Caption in design: Musick has charms to sooth the savage breast, to soften rocks, and bend the knotted oak., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 25.6 x 35 cm., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted on leaf 7 of volume 8 of 14 volumes.
Publisher:
Pub'd Augst. 30th, 1802, by R. Ackermann, No. 101 Strand
An Italian family, in a poverty-stricken room, practise for opera. A young man stands full-face, singing, his fingers interlaced across his chest. He wears an open, ruffled shirt, awaistcoat, breeches, and ungartered stockings. To his right an old man plays an enormous 'cello. To his left a middle-aged man, seated in profile singing, plays a low harpsichord; he wears open ruffled shirt and breeches, with bare legs. Beside him on the extreme left a little boy dressed in a shirt plays the violin. On the extreme right a pretty young woman sits over the fire with an infant on her knee; she holds out a cloth to dry, looking over her shoulder to sing. Her score ('Affetuoso') is pinned to the chimney-piece, on which stands a crucifix with a tankard, &c. A lean greyhound howls up the chimney. All but the old man have fashionably dressed hair, and a certain elegance. The room is lit from an open casement window (left); there are dark cast shadows and the bare room has no ceiling. On the wall are a print of 'Vestris' dancing, a sword, a play-bill: 'l'Avaro Deluso' (opera by Paisiello, libretto by Vulpius), and a bunch of farthing dips; on the window ledge a cracked mirror, cocked hat, bottles, &c. Beneath the harpsichord is a large bowl labeled 'Macaroni'; and in the foreground lie a violin, music-books, earthenware pots, &c."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., 1 print : etching on laid paper, hand-colored ; sheet 35.8 x 46.1 cm., Sheet trimmed within plate mark resulting in loss of imprint., and Mounted on leaf 22 of volume 2 of 14 volumes.
Publisher:
Pubd. Decr. 1785 by S. Alken, No. 3 Dufours Place, Broad Street, Soho. Sold by W. Hinton, No. 5 Sweeting Alley, Cornhill
Subject (Name):
Vulpius, Christian August, 1762-1827, Paisiello, Giovanni, 1740-1816, and Vestris, Auguste, 1760-1842
Subject (Topic):
Children, Families, Italian, Mothers, Musical instruments, Musicians, and Singing
A poor family in rags sing on a city streets to earn money. The man, a veteran with a peg leg, plays the violin; his uniform is patched up. The boy wears no shoes and a coat too big for him; he holds out a hat to collect the money. The woman wears a ragged dress and a patched cloak covering a baby on her back; she carries a basket with loaded with the broadsides for sale
Description:
Title from text below image., Date of publication inferred from a "Novr. 1828" manuscript note on an impression of a print entitled "My girl," likewise designed by Mercer and published by Smyth and Parsey; see Lewis Walpole Library call no.: 828.11.00.01. An apparent companion to that print, entitled "My boy," is assigned a date range of 1825-1835 in the British Museum online catalogue (registration no.: 1905,0822.4)., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum.
Publisher:
Published by T. Smyth & sold by A. Parsey, Burlington Arcade
Subject (Topic):
Ballads, Families, Poor persons, Singing, Violins, Peg legs, Disabled veterans, Military uniforms, and Street vendors
