A satirical print rebuking the many writers who profited by writing memoirs of Samuel Johnson. On the left, Mrs. Piozzi is seated at her writing desk in her study. With a look of astonishment. she looks behind her at the ghost of Samuel Johnson in a night shirt who with his right hand points to the portraits of James Boswell and Sir John Hawkins on the wall and in his left hand holds a money purse. Another portrait on the far right depicts John Courtenay with a pen in his hand looking toward a bust of Prisian. On her desk is a letter "D Johnson ... Letters Dear Lady", implying that she has been concoting Johnson's letters to her. Immediately above her desk in the middle of the wall of books, a violin, an allusion to her second husband a musician, obscures the portrait of her first husband Henry Thrale
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece for the 2d edition of Dr. Johnson's letters
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twenty-four lines of verse in two columns below title: Madam! my debt to nature paid, I thought the grave with hallow'd shade would now protect my name ..., and Contemporary mss. note on verso.
A satirical print rebuking the many writers who profited by writing memoirs of Samuel Johnson. On the left, Mrs. Piozzi is seated at her writing desk in her study. With a look of astonishment. she looks behind her at the ghost of Samuel Johnson in a night shirt who with his right hand points to the portraits of James Boswell and Sir John Hawkins on the wall and in his left hand holds a money purse. Another portrait on the far right depicts John Courtenay with a pen in his hand looking toward a bust of Prisian. On her desk is a letter "D Johnson ... Letters Dear Lady", implying that she has been concoting Johnson's letters to her. Immediately above her desk in the middle of the wall of books, a violin, an allusion to her second husband a musician, obscures the portrait of her first husband Henry Thrale
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece for the 2d edition of Dr. Johnson's letters
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twenty-four lines of verse in two columns below title: Madam! my debt to nature paid, I thought the grave with hallow'd shade would now protect my name ..., and Mounted on page 57 with one other print.
A satirical print rebuking the many writers who profited by writing memoirs of Samuel Johnson. On the left, Mrs. Piozzi is seated at her writing desk in her study. With a look of astonishment. she looks behind her at the ghost of Samuel Johnson in a night shirt who with his right hand points to the portraits of James Boswell and Sir John Hawkins on the wall and in his left hand holds a money purse. Another portrait on the far right depicts John Courtenay with a pen in his hand looking toward a bust of Prisian. On her desk is a letter "D Johnson ... Letters Dear Lady", implying that she has been concoting Johnson's letters to her. Immediately above her desk in the middle of the wall of books, a violin, an allusion to her second husband a musician, obscures the portrait of her first husband Henry Thrale
Alternative Title:
Frontispiece for the 2d edition of Dr. Johnson's letters
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twenty-four lines of verse in two columns below title: Madam! my debt to nature paid, I thought the grave with hallow'd shade would now protect my name ..., 1 print : etching with stipple on laid paper ; plate mark 25 x 17.7 cm, on sheet 27.2 x 19.4 cm., and Mounted on leaf 39 of James Sayers's Folio album of 144 caricatures.
"Portrait; half length, seated to left; elbow resting on ledge; wearing hat and cloak tied around neck; vignette; after J Jackson."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image., "Pl. to Contemporary portraits; pub. Cadell & Davies 1811."--Catalogue of engraved British portraits., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark on left and right.
Publisher:
Published Dec. 21, 1811, by T. Cadell & W. Davies, Strand, London
"The three biographers of Johnson sit under his bust, which frowns down at them from a high rectangular pedestal. Mrs. Thrale (left) and Boswell (right) sit facing each other; she leans back, her head turned in 'profil perdu' towards Johnson (who looks at her); she holds a large open book, the pages headed 'Memoirs \ Life of Dr Johnson'; her pen is in her right hand. Boswell writes busily in an open book on whose left page is depicted a bear on its hind legs, holding a large stick, a chain attached to its muzzle. Between them is a small table at a corner of which Boswell writes. At its farther side, with his back to the bust, sits Courtenay scratching his forehead in perplexity, his elbow supported on a book inscribed 'Joe Miller'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image, Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twelve lines of verse in two columns on either side of title: Three authors in three sister kingdoms born, the shrine of Johnson with their works adorn ..., Temporary local subject terms: Joe Miller's Jests., Subjects identified in pencil; Johnson above the plate mark and Mrs. Piozzi, Mr. Courtney and Mr. Boswell below., and Mounted to 43 x 33 cm.
"The three biographers of Johnson sit under his bust, which frowns down at them from a high rectangular pedestal. Mrs. Thrale (left) and Boswell (right) sit facing each other; she leans back, her head turned in 'profil perdu' towards Johnson (who looks at her); she holds a large open book, the pages headed 'Memoirs \ Life of Dr Johnson'; her pen is in her right hand. Boswell writes busily in an open book on whose left page is depicted a bear on its hind legs, holding a large stick, a chain attached to its muzzle. Between them is a small table at a corner of which Boswell writes. At its farther side, with his back to the bust, sits Courtenay scratching his forehead in perplexity, his elbow supported on a book inscribed 'Joe Miller'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image, Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twelve lines of verse in two columns on either side of title: Three authors in three sister kingdoms born, the shrine of Johnson with their works adorn ..., Temporary local subject terms: Joe Miller's Jests., 1 print : etching on laid paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 27.5 x 19.6 cm, on sheet 30 x 20 cm., and Subjects identified in mss. by contemporary hand: Mrs. Thrale, Wm. Courtney, Mr. Boswell.
"The three biographers of Johnson sit under his bust, which frowns down at them from a high rectangular pedestal. Mrs. Thrale (left) and Boswell (right) sit facing each other; she leans back, her head turned in 'profil perdu' towards Johnson (who looks at her); she holds a large open book, the pages headed 'Memoirs \ Life of Dr Johnson'; her pen is in her right hand. Boswell writes busily in an open book on whose left page is depicted a bear on its hind legs, holding a large stick, a chain attached to its muzzle. Between them is a small table at a corner of which Boswell writes. At its farther side, with his back to the bust, sits Courtenay scratching his forehead in perplexity, his elbow supported on a book inscribed 'Joe Miller'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image, Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twelve lines of verse in two columns on either side of title: Three authors in three sister kingdoms born, the shrine of Johnson with their works adorn ..., Temporary local subject terms: Joe Miller's Jests., and Mounted on page 57 with one other print.
"The three biographers of Johnson sit under his bust, which frowns down at them from a high rectangular pedestal. Mrs. Thrale (left) and Boswell (right) sit facing each other; she leans back, her head turned in 'profil perdu' towards Johnson (who looks at her); she holds a large open book, the pages headed 'Memoirs \ Life of Dr Johnson'; her pen is in her right hand. Boswell writes busily in an open book on whose left page is depicted a bear on its hind legs, holding a large stick, a chain attached to its muzzle. Between them is a small table at a corner of which Boswell writes. At its farther side, with his back to the bust, sits Courtenay scratching his forehead in perplexity, his elbow supported on a book inscribed 'Joe Miller'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image, Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Twelve lines of verse in two columns on either side of title: Three authors in three sister kingdoms born, the shrine of Johnson with their works adorn ..., Temporary local subject terms: Joe Miller's Jests., 1 print : etching on wove paper ; plate mark 27.2 x 19.2 cm, on sheet 29.8 x 21.4 cm., and Mounted on verso of leaf 38 of James Sayers's Folio album of 144 caricatures.
785.06.28.01 Framed, shelved in Object Room Rack 1.
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"An evening scene in Vauxhall Gardens. On the extreme left is the orchestra with the organ behind and performers on the kettledrums, string and wind instruments. The vocalist, Mrs. Weichsel, sings, in profile to the right, from the adjacent (and slightly lower) balcony, just above the heads of the crowd. A violinist and another musician are seated behind her. In the supper box beneath the orchestra is Dr. Johnson seated full-face, between Boswell and Goldsmith (d. 1774), who face each other in profile, both caricatured; of two stout women one is reputed to be Mrs. Thrale. Many groups fill the foreground and middle distance. The two centre figures are the Duchess of Devonshire and Lady Duncannon arm in arm. A naval officer with a wooden leg and a patch over one eye is reputed to be Admiral Paisley (Admiral Pasley, 1734-1808?). Major Topham, an excellent portrait, stands (left) in profile to the right staring through an eyeglass. Between Topham and the supper-box are two men, one of whom is identified as Lord Camelford. [In the reproduction in Angelo's 'Reminiscences'; to whom the name refers is not clear.] An elderly parson, [he closely resembles the parson of BMSat 7059 who is probably William Jackson of the 'Morning Post'] reputed to be Bate Dudley but not resembling him, gazes at the Duchess from behind a tree. Next him a man dressed as an officer in a Highland regiment with kilt and broadsword is supposed to be James Perry, editor of the 'Morning Chronicle'. On the right the Prince of Wales, conspicuous by his star, whispers to Mrs. Robinson (Perdita), though their liaison was ended. Her right arm is linked with an ugly and elderly little man, probably Robinson. On the extreme left an elderly couple advance arm in arm in profile. Behind the Prince is a group standing on a small platform (or tables), showing half length above the crowd. In the foreground (right) is a supper-table under trees where two cits entertain two courtesans. Lamp-lit trees and the covered way form a background on the right."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Vauxhall
Description:
Title from item. and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Publish'd June 28th 1785, by J.R. Smith, No. 83 Oxford Street
Subject (Geographic):
Vauxhall Gardens (London, England), London (England), England, and London.
Subject (Name):
Billington, Elizabeth, 1765-1818., Boswell, James, 1740-1795, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Bessborough, Henrietta Frances Spencer Ponsonby, Countess of, 1761-1821, Pitt, Thomas, Baron Camelford, 1737-1793, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Goldsmith, Oliver, 1730?-1774, Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784, Pasley, Thomas, Sir, 1734-1808, Perry, James, 1756-1821, Piozzi, Hester Lynch, 1741-1821, Robinson, Mary, 1758-1800, and Topham, Edward, 1751-1820
Subject (Topic):
Social life and customs, Parks, Audiences, Concerts, Couples, Crowds, Musicians, Orchestras, Peg legs, and Singers
