- Museum number
- 1868,0808.4901
- Title
- Object: Perdito and Perdita- or- the man and woman of the people
- Description
-
Mrs. Robinson driving Charles Fox (right to left) in a phaeton or gig. Only part of one wheel and the hind-quarters of a pair of horses appear in the print, the figures being on a large scale. Fox, with the ill-dressed hair and the heavy "gunpowder jowl" which are now beginning to
characterize his satirical portraits, holds his hat in his left hand, showing "C. F." stamped inside the crown; he has a disconsolate expression. Mrs. Robinson flourishes her whip in her right hand; she wears ringlets, a high-crowned hat trimmed with feathers, a short tight coat of masculine cut over a frilled shirt.
Her cipher, "M. R.", in a wreath, appears on the side of the carriage. This, and the fact that she is driving, is intended to show that she is keeping Fox. On the upper margin of the print is engraved, "I have now not fifty ducats in the World & yet I am in love". They drive past the gateway and front of St. James's Palace, which forms the background. 17 December 1782
Etching
- Production date
- 1782
- Dimensions
-
Height: 249 millimetres
-
Width: 352 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
The title appears to be taken from a mot of George Selwyn: Walpole wrote (7 Sept. 1782) to Earl Harcourt, "Charles Fox is languishing at the feet of Mrs. Robinson. George Selwyn says, who should the man of the people live with, but with the woman of the people." 'Letters', xii. 328. A paragraph in the 'Morning Herald', 17 Sept. 1782, ran, "In the late Phaetonic expedition of Perdita and the eloquent Patriot it is to be distinguished that the lady gives the gentleman the airing, and not, as usual, the gentleman the lady." Lady Sarah Napier writes n Sept. 1782, "Charles lives with Mrs. Robinson, goes to Sadlers Wells with her, and is all day figuring away with her." 'Life and Letters of Lady Sarah Lennox', ii. 25. The name 'Perdito' suggests the political and financial plight of Fox.
The amours of Mrs. Robinson, the Prince of Wales, Fox, and Col. Tarleton, were the subject of many newspaper paragraphs at this time. 'The Morning Herald', 16 Aug. 1782, announced that Mr. Fox has entirely chassed the provincial Lieut.-Col. from the Suite of the amorous Perdita, who has now the felicity of driving the ex-minister in her pony drawn curricle for a daily airing to Turnham Green. See BMSat 5767, &c. and BMSat 6221, 6266, 6318, 6319, 6320.
The manner suggests that it may be by Gillray imitating the style of Colley, see BMSat 6228, &c.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.4901