"A street scene at the corner of 'Petticoat Lane' (left) and 'Smock Alley' (right). An ugly and bedizened woman wearing pattens, holding an umbrella and kilting up her skirt, walks painfully over the cobbles, bending forward; her stockings heavily spattered with mud; her breast and arms are bare except for a scarf looped over her shoulders. Heavy slanting rain descends; it pours from the hat of an old woman (left), who stoops over a heavy basket she is carrying. Above her head a woman leans from a window, emptying a chamber-pot. Behind (right), two scavengers shovel mud into a cart. The houses are old and dilapidated, with casement windows. The lantern-sign of a penny-barber (cf. British Museum Satires No. 7605) hangs from a pent-house projection, inscribed 'Shave . . .' There is no pavement, but a solid post (left) protects a large grating let into the cobbles."--British museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state.
Description:
Cf. Grego, J. Rowlandson the caricaturist, v. 2, page 225., Date of publication based on publisher's active dates. See British Museum online catalogue., Printmaker from description of earlier state in the British Museum catalogue., Reissue, with altered title and imprint statement, of a print originally published 10 February 1812 by Hannah Humphrey. For the earlier state entitled "Wet under foot," see no. 11956 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 9., and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
Thomas MacLean, 26 Haymarket
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and McLean, T. (Thomas), publisher.
"Conspirators prepare an explosion in the vaults of the House of Commons (or of a building symbolizing the Constitution). Massive triple pillars support Gothic arches, the inscription [used by George as a title] etched across the centre pillar round which barrels of gunpowder are piled. The scene is lit by a beam of light slanting from the huge eye of the King whose features emerge faintly from an illuminated patch in dark clouds in the upper right. corner of the design. This strikes the conspirators, all wearing cloaks and steeple-crowned hats reminiscent of Guy Fawkes. The foremost is Grenville who pours on to the paved floor a train of powder from a barrel which he holds, inscribed 'Jesuits Powder'. Next him (r.) Howick leans forward to tilt a barrel of 'True- Whig Gunpowder'. Behind is Lauderdale handling a barrel of 'Gunpowder a la Brissot'. On the extreme left. behind Grenville, Sidmouth crouches, clasping with senile impotence a barrel of 'Cathartic Gun Powder' [cf. BMSat 9849]. Behind stands Petty holding a barrel of 'Pop-Gun Powder'. The taller Windham is behind with a barrel of '[M]etaphysical Gu[n Powder]'. Ellenborough scowls over Windham's shoulder. The tall Moira (ex-Master of the Ordnance) has a barrel of 'Ordnance Powder'. Between Grenville and Petty is the upturned profile of the bulky Temple, clutching at a barrel of 'Broad-Bottom Gun Powder'. Behind him, his spectacled father, Buckingham, reaches for a barrel of 'Catholic Gunpowder'. In the foreground on the extreme left., a little aloof from the others, Sheridan kneels, tilting a barrel of 'Dramatic Gunpowder'; he wears his Harlequin suit (cf. BMSat 9916). Beside him are two barrels: 'Patriotic Gun-Powder', intact, and 'Democratic Gun-Powder', on its side its contents pouring out. In the background, behind Windham, three heads are faintly sketched, one with the profile of Tierney, another rightesembling St. Vincent. ..."--British Museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state of the same composition.
Description:
Reissue of a print originally published with the imprint: Publish'd June 4th, 1807, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street. Cf. No. 10738 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8. and Title from text in image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos,--Duke of,--1776-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Ellenborough, Edward Law,--Baron,--1750-1818--Caricatures and cartoons., George--III,--King of Great Britain,--1738-1820--Caricatures and cartoons., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville,--Baron,--1759-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Grey, Charles Grey,--Earl,--1764-1845--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings,--Marquess of,--1754-1826--Caricatures and cartoons., Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons., Lauderdale, James Maitland,--Earl of,--1759-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., McLean, T. (Thomas), publisher., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Sidmouth, Henry Addington,--Viscount,--1757-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., St. Vincent, John Jervis,--Viscount,--1735-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Tierney, George,--1761-1830--Caricatures and cartoons., Tooke, John Horne,--1736-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., and Windham, William,--1750-1810--Caricatures and cartoons.
