Dressing for a birthday [graphic]Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker[3 March 1788]eng"A fat and ugly lady (left) and a young and pretty one (right) are being dressed for a Birthday at St. James's. A huge wig decked with feathers and roses is being placed by a maid on the bald head of the elder lady, who stands holding a bouquet and looking in a mirror which reflects a delighted grin. A little black page supports the mirror; he turns to a dog which fawns on him. Another maid fastens in front a false 'derrière', which will distend her dress below the waist, see BMSat 7100, &c. The girl is seated; a friseur dresses her long hair; a man-milliner, 'chapeau-bras', prepares to adjust a 'derrière'; she touches approvingly the dress which an ugly old woman wearing a hat holds out to her. On the floor is a round box containing roses."--British Museum online catalogue, description of later state of similar compositionTitle etched below image.Signed and dated by Rowlandson in lower right corner of design; second statement of responsibility etched below image in lower left.For later state published by S.W. Fores, on 3 March 1789, see no. 9678 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7.Companion print to: Dressing for a masquerade.Cf. Grego, J. Rowlandson the caricaturist, v. 1, page 272.Mounted on leaf 35 of volume 3 of 14 volumes.