"A pretty young maidservant stands on a doorstep (right) while a man, Irish in appearance, gazes insinuatingly into her face as he fills her bowl with brick-dust from a jar. He has an ass which stands patiently, a double sack pannier-wise across his back and a second jar or measure standing on the sack. The profile of a shrewish old woman looks through the door at the couple, who are intent on each other. A dog barks at the girl. Behind is a street, the nearer houses tall the farther ones lower and gabled. At the doorway opposite a woman appears to be giving food to a poor woman and child. A man and woman lean from the attic windows of adjacent houses to converse. A little chimney-sweep emerges from a chimney, waving his brush."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below series title and number., 1 print : etching with aquatint ; sheet 32.2 x 25.6 cm., Printed on wove paper; hand-colored. Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted to 44 x 35 cm.
Publisher:
Pub. Feb. 20, 1799, at R. Ackermann's, 101 Strand
Subject (Topic):
Bricklayers, Charity, Chimney sweeps, City & town life, Dogs, Donkeys, Street vendors, and Women domestics
