print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.6299
- Title
- Object: A man-mid-wife
- Description
-
A whole length figure stands full-face divided by a vertical line, one half (left) representing a man, the other a woman. The background is similarly bisected, one half (left) being a surgeon's dispensary, the other a carpeted room with a domestic grate on which a saucepan is heating. Beneath the title: 'or a newly discover'd animal, not known in Buff on's time; for a more full description of this Monster, see, an ingenious book, lately publish'd, price 3/6, entitled, Man-Midwifery dessected, containing a variety of well authenticated cases, elucidating this animal's Propensities to cruelty & indecency, sold by the publisher of this Print, who has presented the Author with the above for a Frontispiece to his Book.' The surgeon, who is fashionably dressed, holds an instrument inscribed 'Lever'; the woman holds out a small vessel. The man's bottles, &c, are ranged on three shelves; on the lowest, inscribed 'This shelf for my own use', are bottles inscribed 'Love Water', 'Cantharides', 'Eau de vie', 'Cream of Violets'. Obstetric instruments are inscribed: 'forceps', 'Boring Scissors', and 'Blunt Hook'. On the ground (left) is a large pestle and mortar. 15 June 1793.
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1793
- Dimensions
-
Height: 251 millimetres
-
Width: 205 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
A belated protest against the male accoucheur as a danger to female modesty and virtue. The controversy dates from the career of Peter Chamberlen (d. 1631) and was virtually decided by that of William Smellie (1697-1763). An indication of the unpopularity of the surgeon, cf. BMSat 9092, &c. 'Man-Midwifery . . .' has not been traced.
(Supplementary information)
The frontispiece to 'Man-Midwifery dissected: or the Obstetric Family Inspector', by John Blunt, 1793.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.6299
