print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0822.7106
- Title
- Object: Judge Thumb, or- patent sticks for family correction: warranted lawful!
- Description
-
Judge Buller, walking left to right, in judge's wig and gown. He carries a bundle of rods on his left shoulder, another bundle under his right arm. He is saying, "Who wants a cure for a rusty Wife? Here's your nice Family Amusement for Winter Evenings! Who buys here". His head is very fully characterized, and is, according to a contemporary note on one impression, "a very striking likeness".
In the distance, on the right, a screaming woman runs away from her husband, who raises his stick above his head with both hands. She cries "Help! Murder for God's sake, Murder!" He says, "Murder, hay? its Law you Bitch! its not bigger than my Thumb!" They are dressed like working people. The background is a high stone wall, freely sketched, with clouds above it. 27 November 1782
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1782
- Dimensions
-
Height: 350 millimetres
-
Width: 249 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935)
Buller (1746-1800) was reported to have said that a husband could thrash his wife with impunity provided that the stick was no bigger than his thumb. See BMSat 6122, 6124. Grego, 'Gillray', pp. 43-4; Wright and Evans, No. 13.
A reduced copy (coloured) is in 'Caricatures', v, p. 6. B.M.L. Tab. 524. a. Another reduced copy was published in 'The Caricatures of Gillray' [1818]. B.M.L. 745. a. 6.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0822.7106
