The first print in the series "Four Times of the Day" is a scene in Covent Garden. In the center, a middle-aged woman walks from the left towards St. Paul's church; the clock on the tower showing 6:55. She is followed by a servant boy carrying her prayer book under his arm as he tries to warm his hands in his pocket and jacket. St. Paul's is partially hidden behind a tavern identified by a sign reading "Tom King's Coffee House." There is a fight in the doorway, one man losing his wig as it flies out the door. In front of the tavern is a fire where two couples embrace as two women warm themselves, the one reaching out to beg of the well-dressed woman; two large baskets with vegetables sit behind the women, with carrots and mushrooms in the left foreground. To the left, in the middle distance, a small crowd, including two small boys with school bags on their backs, surrounds a man holding a placard advertising a remedy known as Dr. Rock's.
Description:
Title engraved below image., State and series from Paulson. First plate in the series: Four times a day and Strolling actresses dressing in a barn., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Ms. note in pencil in Steevens's hand below print: ”See Nichols's book, 3d edit. p. 248.", and On page 90 in volume 1. Plate mark 488 x 395 mm.
Publisher:
Wm. Hogarth
Subject (Geographic):
Covent Garden (London, England)
Subject (Topic):
Beggars, Children, City & town life, Couples, Crowds, Fighting, Food vendors, Kissing, Prostitutes, Quacks, Servants, Signs (Notices), Taverns (Inns), and Women
"Satire on John Rich and his new theatre in Covent Garden with a procession moving from left to right across the east end of the market square and entering the colonnade leading to the theatre. John Gay is carried on a porter's back preceded by a crowd, one of whom cries "Gay for ever". He is followed by Rich, as Harlequin, driving an open carriage drawn by six satyrs, with Columbine and a spotted dog (a disguise adopted by Rich as Harlequin in "Perseus and Andromeda", 1730). Two authors bow obsequiously to Rich, another wheels a barrow of plays towards the theatre, bootblacks also bow, but in the lower right-hand corner, Alexander Pope defecates on sheets from the Beggar's Opera (the great triumph of Rich and Gay). Actors in costume, some identified in the verses below, follow the carriage, and a cart containing properties including "A Box of Thunder and Lightening", brings up the rear. Beyond the main procession is a large crowd of admirers and a closed carriage; St Paul's church in the background is clearly identifiable."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
His triumphant entry into Covent-Garden
Description:
Title etched above image., Signed twice: once in the shadowing lower left of design (illegible) and again above first stanza., Formerly attributed to Hogarth. See Paulson., First recorded as having been published in 1811 by Robert Wilkinson. See British Museum online catalogue., "Price 6d."--Lower right., Three columns of ten lines each etched below image: Not with more glory through the streets of Rome ... For such a day he sees not ev'ry year., In Steevens's hand in pencil above the print: A pretended Hogarth which nevertheless has sold for £4.4.0. See Nicholss book, 3d edit. p. 161., and On page 54 in volume 1.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
Covent Garden (London, England)
Subject (Name):
St. Paul's Church (Covent Garden, London, England),, Gay, John, 1685-1732,, Hall, John, active 1734,, Quin, James, 1693-1766,, Pope, Alexander, 1688-1744,, Rich, John, 1692-1761,, Ryan, Lacy, 1694?-1760,, and Walker, Thomas, 1698-1744,
Page 219. New London spy, or, A twenty-four hours ramble through the bills of mortality.
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Description:
Title and date from note in ink below image, on mounting page., Sheet trimmed within plate mark with probable loss of text., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum., Temporary local subject terms: Gaming-table -- Male costume, 1736 -- Female costume, 1736 -- Table settings -- Furniture., Folded to 23.1 x 25 cm; mounted to 32 x 26 cm., and Mounted on page 219 in a copiously extra-illustrated copy of: King, R. The new London spy, or, A twenty-four hours ramble through the bills of mortality. London : Printed for J. Cooke [and 3 others], [1771?].