A German copy of Hogarth's "The Discovery" (1743?): a scene in a bedoom where four gentlemen stand beside a curtained bed in which a black woman reclines; she reaches out to touch the chin of one of the men who has evidently just pulled back the curtain. The scene is thought to record a practical joke carried out on the lothario John Highmore by his friends: having arranged an assignation with an attractive young woman, they replaced her with a black prostitute. When he discovered the swap, on climbing into bed, they appeared from hiding. See Paulson
Description:
Title from text below image., Printmaker's name below image, right, most erased from this impression, After Hogarth. Cf. Paulson, R. Hogarth's graphic works (3rd ed.), no. 155., Date based on publication date of the Samuel Ireland copy of this Hogarth image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Eight lines of text below title: Ein Personalcaricatur! Ein gewisser Highmore, der im Spiel und mit Mädchen sein Vermögen durchgebracht hatte ..., Plate numbered "30" in upper right margin., Cf. Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal, v. 3, no. 2600., and Sheet laid on board.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Highmore, John, 1694-1759,
Subject (Topic):
Black people, Actors, British, Bedrooms, Canopy beds, Practical jokes, Prostitutes, and Women
"Satire on the dispute between the managers of the Drury Lane Theatre and its players portrayed as if on a stage with heavy curtains drawn up above and on the right. In the centre, Theophilus Cibber stands in a swaggering pose in his role as Pistol (Henry IV and V) and behind him, on the left-hand side of the stage, a group of actors among whom are Benjamin Johnson as Testimony (in the play, Sir Courtly Nice), Miller as a runner holding a short stick, Benjamin Griffin in a large wig and three-cornered hat, Harper as Falstaff holding a sword twisted into a spiral, Heron holding a banner lettered "Liberty & property", and William Mills wearing a Roman helmet with a huge plume. This group confronts John Highmore who holds a scroll lettered "it cost £6000" (referring to the price of his share of the patent for the Theatre); to the left an actor without coat or wig flourishes a wooden sword. Behind Highmore, stand two women: to the right, weeping, Hester Booth, widow of the former patentee who died on 10 May 1733, and, holding a banner lettered "We'l starve em out", Mary Wilks who had inherited her husband's share of the patent the previous year. In front of the curtain on the extreme right sits Colley Cibber, wearing a laurel wreath and holding money bags, smiling as he gestures towards Highmore who had bought his share of the patent. Behind the curtain can be glimpsed the audience with asses' ears and staves. At the back of the scene is a narrow street with the sign of the Rose on which sits a monkey holding a flag lettered, "I am a Gentleman" (quoting Highmore); crowds throng the street and people wave from the roof and windows of the building on the left."--British Museum catalogue
Description:
Ttile etched below image., Date from British Museum catalogue., In Steevens's hand in pencil, at top of page above print: Laguerre's etching; below image: Given me by the Revd Mr. Harper, of the Brit Museum. See the four in the next page & Mr. Nichols Book, 3rd edit. p. 180., and On page 55 in volume 1.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England), Bridgwater, Roger, active 1745,, Cibber, Colley, 1671-1757,, Cibber, Theophilus, 1703-1758,, Ellys, John, 1700 or 1701-1757,, Griffin, Benjamin, 1680-1740,, Harper, John, active 1714-1742,, Heron, Mary, active 1736,, Highmore, John, 1694-1759,, Johnson, Benjamin, 1664 or 1665-1742,, Miller, Joe, 1684-1738,, Mills, John, 1670-1736,, Mills, William, 1701-, Santlow, Hester,, Shaw, Hester,, and Wilks, Mary, active 1740-
Subject (Topic):
Actors, Crowds, Industrial arbitration, People associated with arts, entertainment & sports, and Theaters
