print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1851,0901.1157
- Title
- Object: An old Maid on a Journey.
- Description
-
A procession from the open door of an inn (r.) towards the room destined for the traveller, a fat, ugly, elderly woman with a twisted, appraising profile, holding up a fan in her right. hand, from the little finger of which dangles a parasol; tucked under her left. arm is a lap-dog. She wears a riding habit; over her straw hat is a hood or scarf. After her shambles a lean elderly man, much caricatured, carrying an embroidery frame, bag, and box. Behind him is a man holding up a caged bird, to which he whistles grotesquely, while a cat ensconced in an alcove grabs at the cage. An immensely fat woman, holding a 'Bill of Fare', stands against the wall, watching the visitor. The fat host (l.), napkin in hand, ushers her towards the room, with pointing thumb; it is called 'the Ram', the adjacent door is placarded 'the Union'. Bell-wire meanders over the wall connected with bells belonging to the two rooms; both are jangling. Through the door is seen the sign of the inn: a cock on a pair of breeches. 20 November 1804
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1804
- Dimensions
-
Height: 255 millimetres
-
Width: 383 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
The old maid (savagely treated in caricature, cf. (e.g.) BMSat 9619) is said to be Miss Banks, whose collection of prints, &c, was given to the British Museum by her brother, Sir Joseph. If so she wears one of her three riding habits, which she called 'hitem, titem, and scrub'.
Grego, 'Gillray', p. 313. Wright and Evans, No. 530. Reprinted, 'G.W.G.', 1830.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1851
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1851,0901.1157
