A French dentist shewing a specimen of his artificial teeth and false palates [graphic]

"The heads and shoulders of three persons fill the design, all studies in teeth, facial expression, and caricature. The profile head of the dentist is close to the fat face of his patient, a woman with a wide smiling mouth, open to show two rows of artificial teeth and gums. He smiles, displaying his own artificial teeth, and holds his patient by the chin. Facing him (right) is a man's head in profile, staring up at the woman through a double lorgnette; his open mouth reveals sparse and irregular teeth, in a grotesque jaw. Above his head is a notice: 'Mineral Teeth Monsier De Charmant from Paris engages to affix from one tooth to a whole set without pain. Mouns D can also affix an artificial Palate or a glass Eye in a manner peculiar to himself. he also distills'."--British Museum online catalogue

"Evidently Dubois de Chémant who introduced porcelain teeth into England (replacing those of bone and ivory) and published 'A Dissertation on Artificial Teeth in general', 1797, 4th ed., 1804. Cf. earlier prints by Rowlandson on false teeth, British Museum Satires Nos. 7766, 8174."--Curator's comments, British Museum online catalogue