print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.9346
- Title
- Object: The School of Reform
- Description
-
Above the design: 'Conjugation of the Verb To Reform—'. Grey as schoolmaster stands on a low dais in profile to the right, addressing nine schoolboys (Tories); he holds an open book, 'Reformers First Primer', and leans on his desk, saying, 'Say after Me I Shou'd Reform Thou Shoudst Reform He Shoud Reform We Shou'd Reform You Shou'd Reform They Shou'd Reform'. Behind him is the front portion of an ornate chair, as in the French print. Brougham stands full-face, as usher, holding a big birch-rod (see BM Satires No. 15535). Four pupils sit on the front bench behind them is another row of four; Wellington stands behind on a stool (invisible) wearing a fool's cap, like an extinguisher, decorated with bells. He holds a torn primer, and with his fingers to his mouth says 'I Can't Reform'. Peel is the only boy who looks at Grey. The pupils are ill-drawn and badly characterized; two are Lyndhurst and Goulburn, wearing spectacles. All (except Lyndhurst, who is in wig and gown) wear boyish dress, with white neck-frills or collars, some wearing pinafores. February 1831
Hand-coloured lithograph
- Production date
- 1831
- Dimensions
-
Height: 347 millimetres
-
Width: 259 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
A crude adaptation of a lithograph by Decamps: "Classe de français Me Contrarius (dans sa chaire)", Pub. Gihaut, 21 Sept. 1830, in B.M.: "Conjugaison du verbe Sauver . . . J'ai sauvé . . . nous avon tous sauvé la patrie." André-Marie J.-J. Dupin (1783-1865) addresses members of the French Chamber (portraits) from a schoolmaster's rostrum (Moreau, p. 46; reprod., Fuchs, p. 323, 9 15/16 x 7 5/16 in.).
One of several political school satires, cf. (e.g.) No. 16691. See No. 16587, perhaps an earlier version of the design, and No. 17063.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.9346
