"A grossly obese John Bull and his lean and ugly wife, both wearing hats, sit on upright chairs, gormandizing. The man holds a whole chicken to his mouth, taking a huge bite. The woman (left) faces him, biting a large melon which she holds with both hands to an enormous mouth. He is morosely savage, she is melancholy; both are gap-toothed. On the ground (right) by the man's chair are collected a ham or gigot, a large irregular (?) galantine, a raised pie: 'pâté de périgueux', a huge jar of 'vin de lafitte' round which four bottles are grouped: 'frontignac', 'Clos de Vouge[ot]', and '. . . seac'. Beside the woman are a basket and tray filled with grapes, peaches, and pears. Through a wide doorway (left) the street is seen with a seated fruit-seller who serves three grotesquely hideous Englishwomen. Two are lank and emaciated, one tries to stuff a big peach into an immense mouth, holding an armful of grapes and peaches; the other gnaws at a bunch of grapes held in both hands. The third, also with bulging cheeks, bites a peach. The fruit-seller's tray is empty; she holds out her last peach. All the women wear small absurd hats or caps, tight long-waisted bodices (coloured) with long white skirts (cf. No. 12359)."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Print attributed to Alphonse Roehn in the British Museum catalogue., Date and series name from British Museum online catalogue., and "Déposé à la Don Gle de l'Imprimerie."
Publisher:
Chez Martinet, Libraire, Rue de Coq St. Honoré
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Eating & drinking, Ethnic stereotypes, Obesity, and Women
