Object types
satirical print (scope note | all objects)
print (scope note | all objects)
Title (object)
Old Wisdom. Blinking at the Stars
Materials
paper (all objects)
Techniques
hand-coloured (scope note | all objects)
etching (scope note | all objects)
Production person
Print made by James Gillray (biographical details | all objects)
Published by W Rennie (biographical details | all objects)
Production place
Published in London (scope note | all objects)
Date
1782
Schools /Styles
British (all objects)
Description
Design in an oval. Dr. Johnson, the head in profile to the right, with an owl's body and ass's ears, stands on two books, the lower his 'Dictionary', the upper his 'Lives of the Poets'. The busts of poets stand on brackets (right) above Johnson's head, each is irradiated with a star-shaped halo. They are "Pope", "Milton", a third head wearing a laurel wreath, the inscription concealed by Johnson's head; a fourth halo (left) is visible. These are "the stars" at which Johnson is blinking, but, though screwing up his eyes short-sightedly, he is not looking at them. The back wall, at right angles to the wall on which the busts are placed, is covered with bookshelves, in which folio volumes lean against one another. An open book lying beside the 'Dictionary' is 'Beauties of Johnson'. 10 March 1782
Hand-coloured etching
Inscriptions
Inscription Content: Lettered with title, text within image and publication line: "Pubd. March 10th. 1782. by W. Rennie/Pr: 7 sh.".
Annotated in black ink: "Dr. Johnson".
Dimensions
Height: 218 millimetres
Width: 188 millimetres
Curator's comments
(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
The 'Prefaces Biographical and Critical to the Works of the most eminent English Poets', which were the occasion of this satire, were published in 1779 and 1781. See also BMSat 6328. Reprinted, 'G.W.G.' 1830. Grego, 'Gillray', p. 33. Reproduced, Paston, Pl. c.
Subject
satire (scope note | all objects)
Associated names
Representation of Dr Samuel Johnson (biographical details | all objects)
Acquisition date
1868
Acquisition name
Purchased from Edward Hawkins (biographical details | all objects)
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