The political, toy-man

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Robert Cruikshank
1789-1856
The political, toy-man
hand colored etching
33.3 x 23 cm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2225
Published: 
[London] : Pub'd by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James's Street, July 1824
Provenance: 
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Notes: 

Trimmed to within plate mark.

Summary: 

Brougham, in wig and gown, stands in Old Square, Lincolns Inn, the roof of the Hall, which forms a background, being so inscribed; houses are on the right. He carries on his head, which is in profile to the right, a tray, inscribed London College; this supports a neo-Gothic building with pinnacles and a clock-tower; tiny trees and figures in academic dress round the building show the scale. From its four corners rise labels inscribed in large letters, Etymology, Orthography, Prosody, Syntax. He says "Who'I [sic] buy? very cheap, very free." From one shoulder hangs a brief-bag inscribed Subscriptions; from the other a ribbon supporting a handsomely bound book: List of Share Holders. Round his waist is a hoop which also encircles the waists of five little puppets: a man in archaic court-dress, holding a feathered hat, next a stout lady holding a fan and a large purse,, a fashionably dressed man in top-hat and furred and frogged coat, and Lord Eldon holding the mace and the Purse of the Great Seal. On the ground is a toy horse on wheels ridden by a yokel in a smock.

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