"Alderman Boydell stands within a magic circle, directing a sacrifice of Shakespeare's plays; these are burning at his feet; the dense smoke which rises from the fire obscures a monument to Shakespeare, concealing the head and shoulders of a figure of Shakespeare in bas-relief pointing to the inscription on the monument (as in Kent's monument in Westminster Abbey)" ... Beside the fire (right) stands on end a huge volume inscribed 'List of Subscribers to the Sacrifice'. On it sits an aged gnome-like creature with a large head, symbolizing Avarice; under each skinny arm he clutches a large money-bag inscribed '£'. On his shoulders stands an infant blowing from a tobacco-pipe the bubble of 'Immortality'; he wears a head-dress of peacock's feathers, symbolizing Vanity. Boydell, who wears a furred alderman's robe, looks fixedly at Avarice, who returns his cunning smile; with his left hand he points to the fire. He is less caricatured than savagely depicted, the realism of his figure contrasting with the fantasy of the design. An evil-looking creature wearing a fool's cap crouches by the fire (right) blowing it with bellows. He is a caricature of the fool in West's picture of Lear (iii. 2). The smoke as it rises expands into heavy clouds which support various figures, more or less travestied, from the pictures commissioned by Boydell for his Shakespeare Gallery. ... In the upper part of the design is an infant at a woman's breast attended by two other figures. This does not appear to be from the Shakespeare Gallery. ... On the ground and just within the magic circle kneels a ragged boy with palette and brushes who is pushing another boy, holding an engraver's tool, outside the circle, which is inscribed in large letters: 'ΟΥΔΕΙΣ ΑΜΟΥΣΟΣ ΕΙΣΙΤΩ' ... Behind the boys and in the background is the temple of Fame on a mountain-top. Fame, poised on the apex of the temple, blows upwards from her trumpet a blast of bubbles ...--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Offering to avarice
Description:
Title etched below image., Advertisement etched below title: Soon as possible will be publishd., price one guinea, N. 1 of Shakespeare Illustrated, with the text, annotations, &c. complete; the engravings to be carried on in imitation of the aldermans liberal plan, further particulars will shortly be given in all the public papers., "Price 5 sh.", Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Price completely erased from sheet.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 20th, 1789, by H. Humphrey, No. 18 Old Bond Street
