"The Duke (left) and Duchess of St. Albans stand facing each other; the little Duke staggering under an ornamental basket which supports a side of bacon, inscribed Best Wiltshire. The Duchess holds on her shoulder a cutter in which are seated six oarsmen with oars held erect, and a helmsman. The Duke is dressed as Grand Falconer (see British Museum Satires No. 15596) and wears a hood with bells indicating both a fool's cap and the hood and bells of falconry. Two speeches float from his head: [1] "In love connubial, formed to live and last, This gift records a blissful twelvemonth past We claim, then boldly claim the flitch Dunmow First of the blest, who keep the marriag Vow". [2] I thought the flitch to small a present on this auspicious day so I have brought the Gammon with it Love. The Duchess answers: Thanks for your Bacon Duke well have you Saved it - and in return accept of this small Testimony of my affection. She wears Court dress, coronet, and feathers. The boatmen wear yellow and green liveries, and on the prow is a falcon's head; the back of the seat in the stern is decorated with a falcon perched on a melon resting on a heap of sovereigns. In the foreground are spectators: on the left the Dukes of Cumberland (wearing his hat) and Sussex stand together with Prince Leopold behind them; on the right is Sir Francis Burdett (son-in-law of Coutts), very thin, surprised, and displeased. In the background are other spectators, their heads concealed by the boat, and on the right a group of singers, some in Tyrolean costume, with (?) Braham and Miss Stephens; they sing: a boat a boat."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Scene in the honeymoon and Conjugal felicity
Description:
Title etched below image., Print signed using William Heath's device: character of Paul Pry, a man with an umbrella., Date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Imprint continues: ... where political and other caricatuers are dialy [sic] pub. the largest assortment of any house in town., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
Publisher:
Pub. by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket ...
Subject (Name):
St. Albans, William Beauclerk, Duke of, 1801-1849, St. Albans, Harriot Mellon, Duchess of, 1777?-1837, Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover, 1771-1851, Augustus Frederick, Prince, Duke of Sussex, 1773-1843, Léopold I, King of the Belgians, 1790-1865, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, Braham, John, 1774-1856, and Stephens, Catherine, 1794-1882
Subject (Topic):
Marriage, Spouses, Baskets, Bacon, Boats, Rowers, and Spectators
"A young man hands a pretty young woman into a wherry which a young waterman, who is apparently standing in the water on the further side of the boat, holds against the landing-place. She raises her petticoats, the waterman stares at her legs."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker identified from the original drawing in the Huntington Library., One of a series of "Drolls.", and One line of text below title: Be cautious my love, don't expose your leg.
