print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.4490
- Title
- Object: Venus turn'd proctor
- Description
-
A man in academic gown and bands, with a small wig, stands with a complacent expression, "in the attitude of the Venus de Medici". A boy (left) has just taken a dead cat from a hamper and holds it out towards him by the tail. A halberd stands against the wall, its spike transfixing a woman's ribboned hat, representing the spoils of a Cambridge proctor. On the wall are three framed pictures; three unframed prints are also pinned up: these are this print (Venus turn'd Proctor) in the centre; BMSat 5188 (left), and BMSat 5187 (right). The pictures are: (left) 'The Gentleman and Scholar United', two three-quarter length figures whose arms are tied together; one, in academic dress and wearing an old-fashioned coat with huge cuffs, is holding out a book in his right hand; the other, dressed as a macaroni wearing an enormous bag-wig; he is holding up a sword in his left hand. Above their heads is a device of four crossed hands, inscribed "The Union". The centre picture, its frame inscribed "Dead Game", is of two books: 'Bible' and 'University Statutes' (out of this projects a pair of clerical bands inscribed "6s 8d"). On them lies an open pamphlet inscribed "A Sermon preached at Wisbech assizes before . . ." The third picture (right) is 'Miss Boreas', the portrait (half length) of a woman whose face is made out of a pair of bellows. She was probably a Miss North. Beneath the print is etched,
"O Venus Beauty of the Skies,
To whom a thousand Temples rise;
Gayly false in gentle Smiles,-
In Mathematicks he was greater
Than Tycho Brake, or Erra Pater:
For he, by Geometrick Scale,
Cou'd take the Size of Pots of Ale;
Resolve by Sines & Tangents, straight;
If Bread or Butter wanted weighty;
He knew What's What, & that's as high
As Metaphysick Wit can fly;
All lov'd him well, who knew his Fame,
And sent him Cats, instead of Game." c.1773
Etching
- Production date
- 1773
- Dimensions
-
Height: 168 millimetres
-
Width: 200 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
Cole sent an explanation of the print to H. Walpole, 18 April 1775:
"Mr Purkes [William Purkis, M.A.] of Magdalen College, Proctor in 1773 to whom some wag advertised him by letter that a Basket of Game was coming to him by the Cambridge Coach, which turned out to be dead cats & dogs &c. It is an handsome likeness of him. He stands in the Attitude of the 'Venus de Medici' in which Posture he would frequently place himself, before his Friends. Indeed, he is a most consummate vain coxcomb Always talking of uniting the Gentleman & the Scholar which gained him the Name of Mr Union. Tho' People thought it wrong thus to expose a worthy man, for he was no ways vicious but a good Tutor & no bad Scholar, yet others thought his Vanity deserved it.' Add. MSS. 5824, fo. 84 b.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.4490