An apparition

In a churchyard, a resurrection man holding a lantern, his hat and shovel at his feet, is surprised by ghost, rising from grave. In the background is a church and in the foreground, a skull and bone.

• Printmaker: Newton, Richard, 1777-1798, printmaker.
  
• Title: An apparition [graphic].
  
• Edition: [State with aquatint].
  
• Publication: London : Pubd. by W. Holland, No. 50 Oxford Street, May 1, 1790.

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

790.05.01.02.1+

Acquired November 2016

The modern Puritan

A cat is hanging from a tree outside St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics in Old Street, London, condemned by a man dressed as a Quaker, with a tartan cloak. The on-lookers call him a ‘Merry Andrew’ (i.e. a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior), believing him to be a resident of the building behind (renamed St Andrew’s). The Quaker has a number of petitions and bills under his arm. Between 1830 and 1847 the M.P. for Wigtownshire, Sir Andrew Agnew, introduced four bills to the House of Commons attempting to enforce the better Observance of the Sabbath. On his third attempt Charles Dickens wrote ‘Sunday Under Three Heads’ (1836), a personal attack on Agnew, whom he described as a fanatic, motivated by resentment of the idea that those poorer than himself might have any pleasure in life. Agnew left Parliament in 1837, ending the campaign.

• Printmaker: Grant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, printmaker.
  
• Title: The modern Puritan [graphic] : hanging a cat on a Monday for killing a mouse on a Sunday!!! / C.J. Grant.
  
• Published: London : Pubd. by G. Tregear, 123 Cheapside, April 1833.

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

833.04.00.02+

Acquired September 2014

Spiritual advice

The more finished of the two wash drawing on recto shows a drunken tradesman (perhaps sailor or dustman) holding onto a post. Above him is written by the artist, “Niccup who are ye staring at. Take a little sober advice and go home for you seem to be beastly intosticated [sic].” On the verso, a graphite drawing of a baker(?). On the verso a pencil sketch of the same tradesman, unfinished.

• Creator: Grant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, artist.
• Title: Spiritual advice [drawing].
• Created: [England, between 1830 and 1852?]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

Drawings G761 no. 4 Box 123

Acquired November 2013

Rogerus Payne

Roger Payne, bookbinder, shown whole length leaning over to the left as he puts a book into a book press in his workroom; on the floor at his feet other books. He is a very thin, frail looking man with hollow cheeks. The room is otherwise empty and in disrepair with cracks in the walls. To the right is a fire blazing in a fireplace with cups and bowls on the mantel, a cup on the grate, and others on the sill of a casement window (left).

• Printmaker: Harding, Sylvester, 1745-1809, printmaker.
• Title: Rogerus Payne [graphic] : natuus vindesor MDCCXXXIX, denatus Londin [sic], MDCCLXXXXVII, effigiem hanc graphicum solertis bibliopegi dedit / etch’d by S. Harding No. 127 Pall Mall, March 1, 1800.
• Edition: [2nd state with ‘and published” scratched from plate].
• Published: [London: Thomas Payne, 1 March 1800]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

Portraits P346 no. 1

Acquired August 2013