print; satirical print

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Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1868,0808.3514
Title: Object: The Doctors in Labour; or a New Whim Wham from Guildford
Description: Twelve scenes relating to the affair of Mary Toft, "the rabbit breeder": from top left, she is held aloft by two men and a Harlequin or Merry Andrew, she has a rabbit in either hand; she pursues a rabbit while working in a field; she dreams of being impregnated by rabbit, Cupid is shown on a cloud beside her bed holding a rabbit in either hand; she is seated in a chair attended by two women while the two men and Harlequin discuss the monstrous birth; Harlequin demonstrates that he can express milk from her breast; Harlequin feels "the rabbets leapin in her belly" while two men look on; she sits on the edge of a bed and Harlequin kneels to seize a rabbit that emerges from her skirts while a doctor raises his hands in surprise, wishing to anatomize the animal; Harlequin stands behind a table holding a balance in which he weighs dung removed from the rabbit explaining to two men that this will allow him to judge whether the animal had "breath'd in air"; doctors and midwives discuss the phenomenon around a table and Harlequin enters claiming that the birth must be "praeternatural"; a crowd of gentlemen are welcomed to the bagnio in Leicester Square where Toft is housed; two men spy from the door to Toft's room as another hands her a dead rabbit; Toft, weeping, is led away to Bridewell by two constables while Harlequin "sits upon Repenting stool,/Cursing his fate in being made a Fool." 1726 Etching
Producer name
School/style
Production date: 1726
Materials
Technique
Dimensions: Height: 335 millimetres; Width: 263 millimetres (trimmed)
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Stephens assumes that Harlequin or Merry Andrew is intended for Nathaniel St André.
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Subjects: satire; birth; doctor; mammal; criminal/thief; police
Associated names: Representation of: Mary Toft; Representation of: Nathaniel St André
Associated places: Associated with: Godalming; Associated with: London
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.3514

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