print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.6523
- Title
- Object: A peep at the Parisot! with Q in the corner!
- Description
-
A corner of the opera house. A dancer is poised on her right toe, while she leans forward, both arms extended, her left leg extended horizontally towards the audience. Her head is turned full-face. Those in the pit are peering under her skirt, which, falling limply almost to her ankles, defines her figure. In the front row of the pit sit (left to right) the Duke of Queensberry peering through an opera-glass; Sheridan, biting his thumb apprehensively (probably fearing competition with Drury Lane); Fox, leaning back laughing, while Pitt stands behind him, holding his shoulders, and staring intently at the dancer. Among the heads behind are Burke on the extreme right, Bedford next him, then Loughborough and (?) Erskine in their legal wigs. In a box on the first tier sit two ladies and a man, looking down upon the dancer, except that one of the ladies stares at the man she sits next through a glass. A door giving on to the stage is open, through which two men are staring up at the dancer. Behind stands a prim-looking man wearing spectacles. A scene of trees and foliage forms a background to the stage. 7 May 1796
Etching
- Production date
- 1796
- Dimensions
-
Height: 253 millimetres (printed image)
-
Width: 376 millimetres (printed image)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
An eager interest in the famous 'attitudes' of Mme Parisot brings enemies (Fox and Pitt, Burke and Bedford, cf. BMSat 8788, &c.) into proximity. Mme Parisot was the rival of Mme Rose Didelot at the opera in the spring of 1796, see BMSats 8891, 8892. Her attitudes, see BMSat 8893, were much praised, but there were complaints that they were insufficiently varied: 'Parisot should be more sparing of her attitudes upon one leg. They are fine, but too frequent repetition may produce satiety.' 'True Briton', 10 Mar. 1796. See also ibid., 9 Mar. See BMSat 8893.
Reproduced, C. E. Jensen, 'Karikatur-Album', Copenhagen, i. 158.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1996 Aug-Dec, London, British Library, 'Theatrical Entertainments'
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.6523
