"Sheridan leads the forces of the professionals against the amateurs of the Pic Nic Society, who are performing on a small, elegant stage, rising (without orchestra) from the boards in the foreground where these enemies advance. He is dressed as Harlequin; the tight chequered dress (slightly torn) accentuates his obesity; an empty purse hangs from his belt; in his left hand is a hat with a tricolour cockade (emblem of Jacobinism). In his right hand he flourishes a large pen whose feather makes wide swirling curves, terminating in firework-stars, and inscribed with the names of newspapers: 'Courier', 'Morning Post', 'Morning Herald', 'Morning Chronicle'. He is masked, to indicate that he has been writing anonymous squibs against the Pic Nics. The swirls of his pen partly obscure a figure of Comedy, meretricious, and half-naked, holding up a mask which decorates the left pilaster of the proscenium. The actors follow in characteristic attitudes. Kemble (as Hamlet) wearing a ribbon, ranting in tragedy, directly behind Sheridan, staggers back with legs astride, both arms raised. On the left is Mrs. Billington, singing as in BMSat 9765, left hand on her breast. Mrs. Siddons (? as Lady Macbeth) clutches a dagger. Behind is the head of Lewis (see BMSat 9915), with a comedian's smile, wearing a cocked hat. Crowds of actors pressing on from behind (left) and in deep shadow, are indicated by arms holding up banners; the chief one with the head of 'Shakespeare', badly torn. Others are 'Otway Rowe'; 'Kotzbue', and 'Schiller', both tricolour (indicating the supposedly revolutionary tendencies of modern German drama, cf. 'The Rovers' in the 'Anti-Jacobin', and BMSat 7054); 'Jonson', 'Congreve', 'Addison'. In the foreground, through splintering boards, the ghost of Garrick rises, a mask in his hand. ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Harlequin Quixotte attacking the puppets
Description:
Title etched below image., Text following title: Vide Tottenham Street pantomime., Watermark: E & P., and Mounted on leaf 72 of volume 10 of 12.
Publisher:
Publish'd April 2d, 1802, by H. Humphrey, St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823, Billington, Elizabeth, 1765-1818, Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831, Lewis, William Thomas, 1746?-1812, Garrick, David, 1717-1779, Buckinghamshire, Albinia Hobart, Countess of, 1738-1816, Cecil, Mary Amelia, Marchioness of Salisbury, 1750-1835, Cholmondeley, George James Cholmondeley, Marquess of, 1749-1827, and Mount Edgcumbe, Richard Edgcumbe, Earl of, 1764-1839
"Mrs. Billington, enormously fat, sits in an arm-chair, her arms flung over its arms, opening her mouth for a spoonful of guineas, administered by W. T. Lewis (right), who bends over her. On her other side stands Sheridan, round-shouldered, stooping, and agitated. He holds out a money-bag, saying, "O Dear O Dear - if the dear Creature has lost her Notes - what will become of us - my dear friend spare no Cost to make up the deficiency, give her another spoonfull, I have plenty more in the bag - all the true Pizarro-coinage." Lewis, smiling, answers: "Dont be alarmed she takes the Boluses very kindly - and I have every reason to hope a speedy recovery." Mrs. Billington is dressed as Clara, in quasi-Spanish costume, almost as in British Museum Satires No. 9914; a checked scarf lies across her lap. On the right are two amoretti; one stands looking up at the other, who flies above his head holding out a scroll; both hold handkerchiefs to their eyes; the one below has butterfly wings and a wreath of roses, the other has feathered wings. The scroll: 'Mourn Cherubims and Seraphims Clara's Notes are Stopp'd - Copy of a Letter - Dear Sir, It grieves me to the heart that I am not able to play this evening - my Throat being so closed as not to leave me a single Note in my Voice" [see British Museum Satires No. 9970]."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched at bottom of image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement in lower right: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening., Temporary local subject terms: Furniture: Armchair -- Money: Guineas -- Medical Procedures: administering medicine -- Literature Allusion: Richard Brinsley Sheridan, 1756-1816, 'The Duenna'., Figures identified by ms. note in contemporary hand at bottom of sheet: Sheridan ; Mrs. Billington ; Lewis., Printseller's identification stamp located in lower right corner of print: S·W·F., and Mounted to 30 x 47 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Jany. 16th, 1802, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Billington, Elizabeth, 1765-1818, Lewis, William Thomas, 1746?-1812, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
Subject (Topic):
Obesity, Opera singers, Chairs, Coins, Physicians, and Putti
"Mrs. Billington, enormously fat, sits in an arm-chair, her arms flung over its arms, opening her mouth for a spoonful of guineas, administered by W. T. Lewis (right), who bends over her. On her other side stands Sheridan, round-shouldered, stooping, and agitated. He holds out a money-bag, saying, "O Dear O Dear - if the dear Creature has lost her Notes - what will become of us - my dear friend spare no Cost to make up the deficiency, give her another spoonfull, I have plenty more in the bag - all the true Pizarro-coinage." Lewis, smiling, answers: "Dont be alarmed she takes the Boluses very kindly - and I have every reason to hope a speedy recovery." Mrs. Billington is dressed as Clara, in quasi-Spanish costume, almost as in British Museum Satires No. 9914; a checked scarf lies across her lap. On the right are two amoretti; one stands looking up at the other, who flies above his head holding out a scroll; both hold handkerchiefs to their eyes; the one below has butterfly wings and a wreath of roses, the other has feathered wings. The scroll: 'Mourn Cherubims and Seraphims Clara's Notes are Stopp'd - Copy of a Letter - Dear Sir, It grieves me to the heart that I am not able to play this evening - my Throat being so closed as not to leave me a single Note in my Voice" [see British Museum Satires No. 9970]."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched at bottom of image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement in lower right: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening., Temporary local subject terms: Furniture: Armchair -- Money: Guineas -- Medical Procedures: administering medicine -- Literature Allusion: Richard Brinsley Sheridan, 1756-1816, 'The Duenna'., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 23.9 x 35.6 cm, on sheet 25.6 x 38.3 cm., Window mounted to 36 x 51 cm., and Mounted opposite page 436 (leaf numbered '50' in pencil) in volume 3 of an extra-illustrated copy of: Moore, T. Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Publisher:
Pubd. Jany. 16th, 1802, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Billington, Elizabeth, 1765-1818, Lewis, William Thomas, 1746?-1812, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
Subject (Topic):
Obesity, Opera singers, Chairs, Coins, Physicians, and Putti
