"A fencing match between a negro (left) and a lady (right) whose face is concealed by a fencing mask. The button of his foil touches her breast and he says: "Mungo here Mungo dere, Mungo Ev'ry where, above, & below Hah! Vat your Gracy tink of me Now". He is fashionably dressed, a large nosegay lies on the ground beside him together with his laced hat, tasselled cane, and an open book: "Les École des Armes Avec Les Attudes [sic] est Positions Par Angelo [sic]". Two books lie on the ground by the lady, the uppermost being "Vol 5th Mungo Bill". The duchess (Prior's 'Kitty', 1700-77) is thin and tall, and dressed in the manner of many years ago, as was her custom, in laced stomacher, and short lace-trimmed apron"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Duchess of [Queensberry] playing at foils with her favorite lap dog Mungo ...
Description:
Title etched above image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Titled in British Museum catalogue: The Duchess of Queensberry and Soubise., Ninth plate in the series: Nature display'd both serious and comic in 12 designs dedicated to S. Foot Esqr., though plate not numbered., S. Foot is Samuel Foote., Another state, with title, of no. 5120 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 5., Watermark: countermark I V., Letter or letters between "of" and "--" in title erased from this impression. Zeroes and the pound sign after "1" in title appear to have been added in ink., and Plate numbered '9' in pencil in the upper right corner.
