"Benefit ticket for Spiller: the comedian stands in the center under a set of scales; he supports a burning taper; at his feet is a pile of tickets for his benefit performance labelled 'Pit', 'Gallery', and 'Box'. He offers the tickets to people on the left who put their payment on that side of the balance, while a bailiff on the right taps him on the shoulder, holding out a 'Writ' and creditors add their bills for 'Tripe', 'Gin', Tobacco', 'Snuff', 'Ale', 'Beer' and "The Taylor's bill" to the other side of the balance. A scroll looped over the top of the scales is a banner labelled 'For the Benefit of Spiller', its ends reaching a window of a tavern on the left and the window of a debtor's prison on the right ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Ticket for the benefit of Spiller
Description:
Title etched within image., See description of original print. No. 1815 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 2., and Cf. Paulson, R. Hogarth's graphic works (3rd ed.), no. 2.
Publisher:
Samuel Ireland
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Spiller, James, 1692-1729.
Subject (Topic):
Actors, Bailiffs, Jails, City & town life, and Scales
